Water covers 70% of the earth's surface, but only 3% is drinkable and suitable for human consumption. Even if you live in a place where it often rains, the water that arrives at your home requires considerable work, because it is purified, pumped, heated and subjected to other plumbing treatments before it can be consumed. Fortunately, there are methods to save water that are suitable for everyone, from the most fussy germophobes to the purists of the compost toilet. An average family of four consumes 450 liters of water per day, which equates to 164,000 liters per year.
Steps
Part 1 of 7: General Strategies for Preserving Water in the Home
Step 1. Save water by closing the taps
While you brush your teeth, shave, wash your hands, wash the dishes, and so on, turn off the tap. Do this even when you're in the shower. Moisten your skin, then turn off the water while you soap. Reopen it only and exclusively to rinse yourself. Try to install a thermostatic mixer in the shower box that allows you to maintain the temperature you prefer even when you turn off the tap.
- Don't waste cold water coming out of the faucet or shower head while you wait for it to warm up. Collect it in a bucket and then water the plants or pour it down the toilet instead of flushing the toilet.
- Hot water from a tank might have more sediment or rust than cold water, but otherwise it would be potable. If you use a filter, you can also drink what you have not consumed. Fill bottles and refrigerate them for serving.
Step 2. Examine the plumbing for leaks, especially around the toilet and ai taps.
An ignored toilet leak could waste between 100 and 2000 liters per day!
Part 2 of 7: Preserving the Water in the Bathroom
Step 1. Install low-flow shower heads and faucets, or faucet aerators
Low-flow dispensers are inexpensive (10-20 euros for a shower head and less than 5 for a faucet aerator). Most simply screw into place (you may need a wrench). The quality and modern ones maintain the pressure and feel of abundant water flow, yet use less than half of it than usual.
Step 2. Take shorter showers
Bring a stopwatch, a clock or an alarm clock to the bathroom, challenge yourself to reduce the time you spend under the water. You could also make a playlist that lasts as long as you want to shower. Listen to it while you wash and maybe try to finish before the songs finish. Further on, strive to take less and less time than expected. Shave your legs out of the shower, or turn off the water while doing so.
- Prefer the shower to the bathroom. When preparing a relaxing bath, you use up to 100 liters of water! A shower generally takes less than a third. Look at the water consumption table below.
- Install a thermostatic mixer in the shower. These devices are not expensive, and just screw them in place. Open the water only to moisten the skin. Then, use the valve to close it: you'll keep the temperature you prefer while you soap. Open it again for rinsing.
Step 3. Use sewage or gray water in the garden (which remains in a bathtub, washing machine or dishwasher)
If possible, connect a rubber hose to the appliance's drain tap and let the water flow into the garden. To reuse the water that remains after a bath, use a siphon pump. When washing dishes by hand, rinse them in a container and empty it in the garden.
- Wastewater should never be used on edible plants except for adult fruit trees, as there is a risk of contamination.
- Wastewater should always be "filtered" through some kind of medium. It can be as simple as gravel or chipboard. The principle is that such a process distributes the water over a larger surface, allowing certain bacteria to contribute to the cleansing of the water in a natural way.
- Collect flowing water while you wait for it to reach a certain temperature to reuse it. Just collect it in a bucket, watering can or pitcher.
- If you collect clean water (for example while you are waiting for it to reach the right temperature), you can also use it to hand wash delicate clothes.
- Also, collect the water you use for rinsing or boiling pasta or eggs.
- Use environmentally friendly soaps and cleaners if you are collecting gray water for the garden.
- If you are unsure whether recycled water is good for plants, you can use it for the toilet flush. Pour it directly into the toilet (as long as there is no sediment) or use it to fill the toilet tank after flushing.
Step 4. Convert the toilet to a water-saving one
Put a plastic bottle in the cistern to save some of the water used for each drain. If necessary, weigh it down with pebbles or a little sand. An alternative is to try to get a special device.
- Not all toilets flush effectively after reducing the amount of water, so be sure to evaluate yours.
- Make sure you close the bottle tightly, especially if you have weighed it down with pebbles or sand. You certainly don't want to fill the toilet tank with debris.
- Switch to a low-flow toilet. These devices can easily run the drain with up to 6 liters of water. Read product reviews to find a good one.
Step 5. Get or create a dual flush toilet
It is basically a toilet that differentiates the drain. The amount of water varies according to the type of need that needs to be rinsed. It will help you save water. This device has a special button to flush the toilet according to the situation.
You can also buy a toilet modification kit and install this feature. This way, you will avoid wasting water in the future and you will feel proud. Search the internet to find the right product for you. Choose a cheap but good one
Step 6. Make sure you use the toilet properly
Do not run the drain every time. Remember: "if it's yellow, it floats; if it's brown, flush the toilet." Also, don't mistake it for the garbage can. When the toilet flushes, it uses up to 9 liters of clean water, a huge and unnecessary waste!
Part 3 of 7: Preserving Water for Laundry and Cooking
Step 1. Replace your old washing machine with a modern, high-efficiency one
Old-fashioned top-loading washing machines consume 150-170 liters of water per wash. An average family of four uses the washing machine 300 times a year. The high efficiency ones, typically front loading, use only 60-100 liters per wash. As a result, savings of between 11,400 and 34,000 liters per year.
Step 2. Fill the washing machine or dishwasher completely
Wait to start them until you have accumulated enough cloths or dishes. Don't wash two pieces of clothing just because you want to wear the same pants the next day. When doing laundry, be sure to use the cycle that saves both water and electricity. The same goes for the dishwasher. Do a full load, but not too much.
- Do not put dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher. Discard leftover food in the trash or compost. If the dishes are not cleaned well without prewashing, make sure that you have used the right detergent, that you have loaded the appliance properly and that the latter is in good condition.
- Dishwashers, especially modern and efficient ones, can actually guarantee greater water savings than washing dishes by hand. In fact, the system provides for a much more prudent use of water. If you are ready to buy a new one, evaluate both energy and water consumption before purchasing.
- Choose your future washing machine wisely too. Front-loading ones use much less water than top-loading ones.
- Choose laundry detergents that can be rinsed off easily, not those that leave residue.
Step 3. Do laundry less frequently
To do this, you and your family need to dirty less clothes. This, however, has further advantages: you will save time and the clothes will not get damaged immediately. Unless they are obviously stained or have a bad smell, it is useless to wash them.
- Hang the towels on a drying rack to let them dry after you shower. Use them several times between laundry. It would be better for each family member to have their own. If necessary, assign a color to each of you.
- Wear clothes more than once. You can also wear the same pajamas for more than one night in a row, especially if you shower before bed. Change your socks and underwear every day, but pants, jeans, and skirts can be worn more than once between washings. Wear a t-shirt or top under your shirts and sweaters, so you only need to change the innermost layer.
- Don't change several times a day. If you have to do something that will get you dirty, like painting, gardening, or exercising, set aside a suit designed solely for this purpose, and wear it several times before washing. If possible, arrange these activities to do just before you shower daily. This way, you won't use extra clothing and you won't have to wash more than once a day.
Step 4. If you have a garbage disposal, use it sparingly
This device consumes a lot of water to eliminate garbage… and it is completely useless. Collect solid waste in the garbage can, or make a compost pile at home instead of throwing it in the garbage disposal.
Part 4 of 7: Storing Water Outdoors
Step 1. Install a water meter
Finding out how much water you actually use might surprise you quite a bit. By placing this meter, you can gain greater awareness, and thus reduce consumption.
- If you already have a water meter, learn how to read it. Among other things, it can be very useful for detecting leaks. Consult it once, wait for a couple of hours without using water, then read it again. If there have been any changes, some of the pipes are leaking.
- Many water meters have a wheel or a gear that turns rather quickly as soon as water runs out somewhere. If you are sure that you have turned off all the taps and you notice that the wheel is moving, a leak has occurred.
- If the water meter is underground, you may need to remove debris from the front to read it. Spray a few drops of water with a bottle with a spray nozzle to clean the surface.
Step 2. Cover the pool
This helps prevent evaporation. In some places, emptying and refilling the pool are strictly restricted, or even prohibited. Consequently, preserving this precious resource is essential.
Step 3. Use a timer for water consumption
Place a timer on sprinklers and outdoor taps. Look for cheap and automatic ones; you should be able to screw them between the rubber and the hose connector. An alternative is to install a controller on the sprinklers or drip system. An automatic timer can also help save water for those times of the day when it can be better absorbed.
- If you're watering something manually, set a kitchen timer before turning on the water, or set the hose in your hand for as long as necessary.
- Learn how to set the timer for your sprinkler system for different seasons. Water less or not at all when the weather is wetter and colder.
- Do not water more than necessary, and do not do it faster than the absorbency of the soil. If the water is rejected by the earth and ends up elsewhere, reduce the time you have set for watering or divide it into two parts to let the water be absorbed properly.
Step 4. Make sure you regularly maintain your sprinkler, drip or other irrigation system
If it's run by a timer, watch it in action. Repair pop-up sprinklers and broken sprinklers. Make sure the sprays are actually oriented in the right places.
Consider installing a drip irrigation system or something similar to save additional water. Also inquire about the types of plants that need less watering once they are established
Step 5. Wash the car on the grass
Use an expandable spray hose and / or bucket. There are also car wash products that do not require the use of water: they are sprayed on the surface and then worked with a cloth, but they tend to be expensive.
- Wash your car less often. Everyday dust and dirt are not harmful, while not eliminating them for some time.
- Wash your car at the car wash. They may be using less water than you would use at home. In addition, they collect and properly filter waste water.
- Use organic cleansers. This allows you to reuse the waste water: after washing the car, you can pour it on the lawn or in the garden.
Step 6. Do not wash the driveway or other concrete surfaces with the water pump
Use a broom, rake, or blower to remove dry residue. Then, let the rain do the rest. Using a hose to water only wastes water, and it won't hydrate anything.
Part 5 of 7: Conserving Water While Gardening
Step 1. Take care of your lawn in a more efficient way
Only water areas that require it, and only when it hasn't rained enough. Use a gun hose or watering can to save water. Also, you can collect rainwater and use it for plants, grass or garden.
- Water your garden and lawn in the evening. At this time of day, the water has more time to be absorbed, without evaporating due to the heat of the sun.
- Water deeply, but less often. This encourages the plants to form deeper roots, so they need to be watered less frequently. Grass roots aren't as deep as those of other plants, but they can be encouraged by watering deeper, but less often.
- How to irrigate deeply with a minimum of water? Water slowly using drip or micro sprinklers. The simplest method is using porous piping, but there are other options as well, such as drip and polyethylene piping. These systems do not lose water due to evaporation, as happens with overhead irrigation. Therefore, they keep the foliage of the plants dry to prevent the appearance of diseases. Tubes that have direct contact with the soil let the root zone soak well with water for greater efficiency. These systems could involve adding acids to the water to prevent calcium or iron from occluding the tiny holes.
Step 2. Let the grass grow properly
Do not mow the lawn too short. Increase the height of the mower blades, or just let it grow a little more between cuts. This method will allow you to use less water.
- Don't let the weed grow at all, or cut it down. In addition to the lawn, plant something else, or try to reduce its size. Lawns require a lot more water (and maintenance) to keep growing than many other plants, including ground cover ones.
- If you live in an area where it rains infrequently, it would be best not to plant grass, and instead use area plants that don't need as much attention and water.
Step 3. Plant properly
Plant shrubs under large trees. This helps prevent evaporation and provides some shade for the plants. You can also arrange ground cover plants under trees.
- The native flora species adapt to the area's water supply, and as a result need less extra care.
- Learn about typical species in your area for xeriscaping.
- Know how much water your plants need to thrive, and don't overdo it.
- Prefer plants that have similar water needs. This method, also called hydrozoning, simply consists in grouping the plants according to the irrigation needs, so that they can be watered properly.
- Use grooves and basins. Dig deep areas to water only the roots of the plants, not the empty areas around them.
- Use sub-irrigated raised bed crops (you can use several permaculture techniques to garden on the terrace, grow in buckets, irrigate with terracotta ampoules, called ollas, and try Earthbox kits).
Step 4. Use mulch in the garden to retain moisture
Among the best "candidates" for mulching, we include hay, manure, leaves, wood chips, bark and newspaper. Many types of mulch are available for free or at a very low cost. The right organic mulch can also help improve the soil; in fact it eliminates and keeps weeds under control.
Part 6 of 7: Virtual Water Conservation
Step 1. Understand the concept of "virtual water"
You may not think about it often, but everything you eat required the use of different amounts of water before reaching the table - that is virtual water. In fact, it's not just applied to food - the clothes you wear, the furniture you buy, the notebook you write on - water is needed to produce all of these things. Here are some methods for choosing goods that needed a minimum amount of water for their production.
Step 2. Analyze your "virtual water" consumption
There are several sites that can help you calculate it, like this one. You can also download an app on your smartphone to use as a quick reference.
Step 3. Eat proteins that haven't required large amounts of water to make the finished product you consume
Beef is one of the most expensive sources of protein, while goat meat and chicken require less consumption.
Step 4. Drink water
All the drinks that we usually consume (wine, tea, fizzy drinks, fruit juice) also required water to be produced.
Step 5. Reduce the amount of industrially processed foods you consume
The steps required to produce these foods also involve the use of water. By preferring foods that come directly from the source, you cut some processing steps.
Step 6. Buy fewer things
That shirt you're wearing? It required 3,000 liters of water. 500 sheets of paper? 5,000. Reduce, reuse, recycle: these are the best actions you can do for the environment; trying to save water is no exception.
This means that you should prefer reusable products, such as ceramic plates instead of paper ones, canvas shopping bags instead of plastic
Part 7 of 7: Water Use Chart
| Bath | Shower | Total use after _ days |
|---|---|---|
| 0 liters | 0 liters | 0 days |
| 100 liters | 30 liters | 1 day |
| 200 liters | 60 liters | 2 days |
| 300 liters | 90 liters | Three days |
| 400 liters | 120 liters | 4 days |
| 500 liters | 150 liters | 5 days |
| 600 liters | 180 liters | 6 days |
| 700 liters | 210 liters | 7 days |
Advice
- Find out if there are any reductions on your bills if you install devices that save water. This depends on where you live. Some municipalities encourage this practice by offering reimbursements to those with low-flow toilets. Others provide free or less expensive shower heads and faucet aerators.
- If drought is an issue in your area, be sure to inquire about the restrictions on rationing.
- Properly recycle hazardous materials, including cleaning products, engine oil, fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, pesticides, and fertilizers. While careful disposal does not directly save water, it is important to preserve the safety and quality of what you consume.
- Tell other family members or your roommates - explain what they could do to help save water.
- The water that comes out of the washing machine can be used to wash the machine. The leftover water from fruits and vegetables can be used in the garden.
Warnings
- If you are collecting rainwater, be sure to make the collection system mosquito-proof.
- If you decide to recycle gray water in the garden, make sure you have used soaps or detergents suitable for this use. Do not use them to irrigate edible plants.
- In some parts of the world, collecting rainwater is illegal. Be well informed before doing so.
