There are many things that we all take for granted. It isn't necessarily because we are not thankful for them, but more likely it is because we have never experienced life without them. One of these commodities is water. When we turn on the tap, we expect a rush of water to emerge. Have you ever stopped to think what it would be like to experience an empty faucet?
It is estimated that the average U.S. citizen uses 110 gallons of water a day. You may wonder how this is possible, but when you take into consideration the amount of water used for flushing toilets, showering and bathing, washing laundry and dishes, watering lawns, and cooking and drinking, you realize how it all takes a toll on the nation's water reserves.
Here are some water-saving tips that can help you start learning how to conserve water now so that if you ever Replace yourself in a situation where you need to make your emergency water supply last, it won't be as drastic of a change:
• Do not let water run from the faucet while you brush your teeth. Fill a glass halfway with water and use that to wet your brush and rinse your mouth.
• Limit showers to five minutes or less. While you wait for the water to get warm enough to use, fill a bucket with the colder water and use it to water plants.
• When taking a bath, only fill the tub halfway.
• Fill a one-gallon plastic container with water and put it in the toilet tank to displace one gallon of water (or use a brick in a zippered plastic bag).
• Plant lawn grass that can handle dry weather.
• Check faucets, hoses, and other water devices for leaks.
• Water your lawn and garden between the hours of 9pm and 9am. This helps conserve moisture by minimizing sun exposure.
During emergencies, it is suggested that you recycle your used bathing/laundry water for flushing the toilet, watering your garden or mopping your floors. (Don't use water with cleansers like bleach or other harmful cleansers to water plants). Use disposable plates, cups, and eating utensils.
If you have any other suggestions of how to conserve water during emergencies or everyday life, please share them in the comments!
9 comments
Me
I have even started boiling my pasta first, then using that water to boil my vegetables. We use only one sink to wash hands and we put a bowl to catch the water and that is what we use on our lawn. It fills up quick with 6 of us in the house and we don't have much grass. We use a good soap and haven't had a problem with it yet. My friends fill their pool up with the water from the fire truck when they have to discharge it. It is a hassel and it costs a lot up front but they get their deposit back and it only costs them $75 in the end to fill up their mammoth pool. And it was perfectly good water the city was going to get rid of.
Vana - Skin Bleach
i like the tip left here on using boiled water from cooking vegetables to water plants ~ I just one of those who just troughs it away…
Darlene
Mulch! It saves a lot of water lost to evaporation.
CM
I live in the desert where 14" of rain is a good, average year. With the Monument fire & evacuations, I left my sprinklers running just in case; luckily, I was able to return & turn them off the same day. I harvest rain water, practice rainwater harvesting for drylands (done via landscape, forcing water into ground rather than run off), try to use all water for more than one thing. While in planning stage only, I plan to utilize most of my 1/4 acre for food production with a small amount of lawn, Hachita blue gramma which does fine on our rainfall amounts or less & helps stabilize soil while serving to help water permeate rather than wash topsoil away. It's also cool season meaning I don't have to mow when it's hot &, if left alone, only reaches 14" with seed heads. One needs to research & know conditions for where they live – cookie cutter approaches work great when baking cookies, not for land use planning.
Debbie
One more thing – you recommend using disposable plates, but that just uses up space in our landfills. I say just be more prudent in washing by hand instead of using your dishwasher. Use a small basin in your sink – one with soapy water and one with rinse water. Then throw the rinse water on your garden plants. If you use biodegradable soap, you can water with that also.
avroien
I do recycle my water as much as possible with gray water. I also installed low flow toilets and showerheads in all of my bathrooms. It not only save water but money as well.
Sarah Rachelle
When I wash my veggies, there's usually sand or dirt that isn't friendly for my sink pipes, so I dump that water and sand into my garden plants' containers. I am also trying to teach my son to conserve water by not leaving the tap running.
Debbie
My rant is that Americans use 30-60% of our drinking water to keep a green lawn that we can't eat. I recommend growing a garden or edible landscape instead.
Heather
Use water left from boiling corn or pasta to water my plants after it cools.