Water Conservation: 10 Tips to Reduce Your Usage

Water is an extremely precious resource, and we must conserve it in every way possible. Climate change, and the more extreme weather that comes with it, means that water supply is becoming more unpredictable as droughts become increasingly common, especially in the summer months, so water conservation is more important than ever before.

So here are 10 tips to reduce your usage of water so that everyone on this planet can continue to enjoy clean drinking water for many years to come!

Turning The Tap Off

Standing there while you’re brushing your teeth and letting the water just run down the drain is a huge waste of water. Turn the tap off as soon as you’ve finished brushing, and then turn it back on again when you need to rinse. The same applies to when washing dishes – don’t let water run unnecessarily.

Take Shorter Showers

We all know that the average shower is typically 8-10 minutes, but how many of you actually stay in the shower for that entire time? Get out, rinse off, and hop back in after you’re done lathering up.

Turn Off Water While Soaping Up

One way to conserve water and live more sustainably is to keep showers short. Another way to conserve water during a shower is to turn off the tap while you’re soaping up, and then turning it back on again when you need to rinse.

Catch Rain Water for Watering Plants

One successful way to conserve water and live more sustainably is by catching rain runoff from your gutters that will eventually end up as wasted water. Put a container under your gutter, or in you outdoor space to catch the water in, when it rains. You can use this for watering plants – and they actually prefer it too. So it’s a win-win.

Snub The Bath Tub

A shower can use less water than a bath, as filling up the entire tub uses more water than you actually need to bathe in. If everybody in a family of four replaces one bath a week with a five-minute shower, they would see a noticeable difference on their yearly gas and water bills. Up to £10 a year could be saved on each, just by making that switch once a week.

Change Your Shower Head

Replacing an old shower head with a water efficient one could save so much water, not to mention saving money on energy bills too.

Mulch Plants Properly to Retain Water

One way to conserve water is by using natural mulch that helps keep in moisture for plants. Once youíve applied the mulch, make sure to water it before planting your plant.

Fill Up Dishwashers & Washing Machines

Make sure that dishwashers and washing machines are full before you use them, and ensure you always use the most efficient water and energy settings. Wash at 30 degrees or use the ECO setting if your machine has one.

If the dishwasher isn’t full, hand wash a few dishes if you need to. This way, you conserve water by not running the dishwasher until it is full.

Use Leftover Cooking Water

When we make pasta or steam vegetables, the water used to cook each becomes reusable and can be used in soups. Or allow it to cool and use when watering your outdoor plants – this’ll give them added nutrients.

Consider purchasing a dual flush toilet

This can save the average family 15,000 gallons of water each year, which is huge! More water can be used when it’s needed, but the shorter flush uses up to 70% less water, adding up to some significant water savings.

I hope you found this helpful. How do you conserve water? Let me know in the comments below.