Greenhomereusewastewater

How to Save and Reuse Water, Inside and Outdoors

Practically anyone could benefit from using less water, whether they live in a drought region or not. Fortunately, everyone in your household can make a difference if you get on the same page. These tips make it easy to cut down on your water consumption, from cooking to gardening.

1. Get Everyone on Board

The trouble with water conservation in a household is that everyone has to be in agreement about the best way to handle the situation. Kids might not think anything of keeping the water running while they wash their hands or brush their teeth. Get them interested in working together to decrease your overall water consumption. Use liquid hand soap that does not require water to create a lather, and put up reminders to turn off the faucet when the water is not needed.

2. Minimize Wasted Water

There are many little ways in which people waste water, sometimes without even realizing it. That “drip, drip, drip” sound of a leaky faucet means hundreds of gallons (plus your money) down the drain. Similarly, every time you sit at a faucet, waiting for the cold water to warm up, you are wasting water. It might just be a gallon or two here and there, but over a lifetime of use, this waste could add up quickly. The easiest thing you could do is to keep an empty but clean bucket or even a pitcher near the faucet. As you wait for the warm water to reach the faucet, let it pour into the bucket or pitcher. You can use this water for almost anything, including cooking, cleaning or watering indoor plants.

3. Water Landscaping Effectively

One of the biggest sources of home water consumption is outdoor landscaping, particularly in the summer. Hotter weather calls for regular watering, sometimes daily. If you are currently relying on an outdated watering system, now is the time to step it up. You might find that you use a lot less water and have a more beautiful yard if you install a drip irrigation system. Avoid over watering – which is easier than you might think. You just want to water the soil enough to keep it moist. If you see fungi starting to grow, you know you are using too much. As the weather cools off, be sure to decrease the frequency and duration of the watering.

4. Consider a Water Reuse System

You cannot really avoid using water at all, but you can take steps to make it easier to save. If cutting back does not seem to yield the results you want, take it to the next level. Installing rain barrels could make it simpler to water your garden without having to turn on the sprinkling system as often. A gray water system is even better. Gray water is water that has gone down your drains other than your toilet, and could be cleaned and used for cleaning or gardening. You cannot drink or cook with gray water, but there are many possible uses.

Saving and reusing water is a task that benefits your home, your family and your pocketbook. With these tips, you can beef up your water conservation without sacrificing your home comfort.

Gary Ashton is the CEO and owner of The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage. His real estate team is #1 in Tennessee, Nashville and now #4 in the world.

Clay Miller
the authorClay Miller
I am the creator/writer of Ways2GoGreen.com and Ways2GoGreenBlog.com. I'm an advocate for oceans, beaches, state parks. I enjoy all things outdoors (e.g. running, golf, gardening, hiking, etc.) I am a graduate of the University of Kentucky (Go Wildcats!!). I'm also a huge fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Kentucky.

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