Did you know that the average American household can waste 180 gallons of water per week?
That’s enough to run 300 loads of laundry. It adds up to 9,400 gallons annually! The average family spends more than $1,000 per year on water expenses. Saving water can cut down your household expenses by a lot. And that is not to mention that “According to a 2014 Government Accountability Report, 40 out of 50 state water managers expect water shortages under average conditions in some portion of their states over the next decade,” according to the EPA.
The good news is that there are lots of ways your household can start saving water and saving money. Here are some suggestions that add up to substantial savings.
Fix Your Leaks
Around 10,000 gallons of water is wasted annually in the United States due to leaky pipes. So that little drip that you are catching with an old cookpot could be costing you dearly in the long run, not to mention wasting a precious resource. If you have a DIY bent, there are lots of pipe leaks you can fix yourself. Call a local plumber to inspect for and tackle leaks if you aren’t o comfortable behind a wrench.
Remember, it is crucial to inspect all your plumbing at least annually. Many common leaks happen inside your home, but don’t forget that plumbing inside the walls and under the house can develop leaks, too. (Check out these three signs that you might need home repairs).
Take a Shorter Shower
You might be surprised by how much water you can save just by focusing on being efficient in the shower. According to the math as done by Penn State, if everyone reduced their shower time by just three minutes, the world could save 610 billion gallons of water! That means your household could also save money! And a short shower doesn’t necessarily have to be a boring one. Try making a short shower playlist to keep you on track. And don’t forget to invest in a water-saving showerhead!
Stop Pre-Rinsing Dishes
Most modern dishwashers are pretty powerful. That means that unless something is burned on, you don’t need to spend time and waste water getting all the food debris and grease off your dishes before you put them in the washer. It is a hard habit to break but worth it to save water and time.
Do Full Loads
It uses less water to use your dishwasher than to hand wash your dishes, even if the load isn’t totally full. But why not save even more water and wait? It is worth the investment in some extra silverware so you can hold out until you can run a full load.
The same goes for your washing machine. If you have a large family, you probably have frequent full loads anyway, but it is worth letting some laundry or dishes pile up for the water savings for smaller households.
Bonus!
By saving all this water, you will also be saving even more money by using less energy (especially in the shower and doing dishes and laundry) and shrinking your carbon footprint!
