Earth Day: Tips to reduce water use in your home

It's Earth Day, a special day to remind us about what we can do to protect our planet. One way to protect the planet for future generations is by using water efficiently. The United States Environmental Protection Agency provides recommendations on what we can do to preserve our nation's water resources. Among the recommendations are:

Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth
Fix any small water leaks in the home
Take more showers than baths

Find more tips here.

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What’s using the most water in your home?

You might be surprised how much water you use each day in your home. On average, most households use 60 gallons of water per person every day. From taking showers to washing dishes, managing water in your home could help the environment and your wallet. Water use typically increases during the summer months as we take care of plants and vegetable gardens or turn on the hose for summer fun. Here are some of the daily activities that use the most water:

Toilets - According to the Environmental Protection Agency, older toilets can use up to seven gallons of water per flush! If you have a leaky toilet, you could waste about 200 gallons per day. A solution could be converting to Water Sense toilets or pressure-assist toilets.

Bath vs Showers – Taking a long soak in a hot bath uses up to 50 gallons of water compared to approximately half that for a quick shower.

Washing clothes – Up to 50 gallons of water can be used per load when washing clothes using a traditional washer and dryer. If you have energy-saving appliances such as a non-agitator washer, water use is approximately 27 gallons of water per load, according to the EPA.

Hand washing dishes vs using a dishwasher – For those committed to washing dishes in the sink each day, you are using up to 27 gallons of water per load. Today’s energy-efficient dishwashers use as much as five gallons of water per load. You might reconsider rinsing food off plates before putting them in the dishwasher. Pre-rinsing, according to Consumer Reports, wastes more than 6,000 gallons of water per household each year.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offer these tips for conserving water in your home:

Repair leaky faucets, indoors and out.
Consider replacing old equipment (like toilets, dishwashers, and laundry machines).
When cooking, peel and clean vegetables in a large bowl of water i nstead of under running water.
Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes.
Only run the dishwasher when it's full.
When buying a dishwasher, select one with a "light-wash" option.
Only water the lawn when necessary. If you water your lawn and garden, only do it once a week, if rainfall isn't sufficient. Avoid watering on windy and hot days. Water the lawn and garden in the morning or late in the evening to maximize the amount of water that reaches the plant roots (otherwise most of the water will evaporate).

To learn more about controlling water usage in your home, calculate your water footprint here.

Get the latest water solutions for your home by consulting with the experts at L.D. Smith Plumbing. Contact us for information about energy-efficient plumbing fixtures for your home.