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Home water conservation 101: A refresher course
With Nashville residents facing mandatory water conservation orders, here's a look at 30 ways to save water at home for when the going gets rough ... and for the rest of the year.
Wed, May 05 2010 at 1:25 PM
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Water Conservation
Water dripping from a faucet.

Photo: Diganta Talukdar/Flickr

Although the following 30-point list may seem like duck soup to many — especially those of you in drought-prone areas like Southern California — as the warmer months approach, it’s not a bad idea to remind yourself of water-saving practices, some easy habit adjustments and some more advanced home improvement fixes, to observe around the house and in the garden.
 
And it isn’t even really summer that prompted this post, it’s the historic flooding in Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky. Right now, much of Nashville is underwater and one of the city’s two water treatment plants has been rendered inoperable (inmates saved the day when it came to keeping floodwaters out of the plant that’s still up and running) prompting the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation to issue mandatory water conservation orders for Nashville and surrounding communities.
 
Nashville residents are being urged to use water only for essential purposes and to not wash cars or water lawns and plants for the time being. While this is only a temporary situation, it doesn’t hurt to study up on water-saving techniques that apply to everyone no matter what the circumstance, no matter where you live, no matter what time of year. Here’s a quick refresher course on 30 ways you can conserve water at home: 
  1. Turn off the tap while shaving, washing your face, or brushing your teeth.
  2. Take shorter showers, timing them if necessary.
  3. Study your water bill on a regular basis.
  4. Run full loads when using a dishwasher or washing machine.
  5. Don't let the water run while washing dishes by hand.
  6. Install a rain barrel.
  7. Insulate your pipes.
  8. Don't overwater your lawn and garden.
  9. Practice drought-resistant landscaping.
  10. Don't use the toilet as an ashtray.
  11. Install a greywater recycling system.
  12. Water your lawn and garden in the morning to minimize evaporation.
  13. Don't hose down your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom instead.
  14. Install low-flow showerheads.
  15. Install a duel-flush toilet.
  16. Reuse cooking water to water houseplants.
  17. Use a commercial car wash instead of washing a car in your driveway.
  18. Be vigilant about fixing leaky faucets and pipes.
  19. Place plastic water bottles filled with pebbles or sand in your toilet tank.
  20. Cut back on using the garbage disposal.
  21. Use mulch in your garden.
  22. Keep a pitcher or bottle of cold drinking water in the fridge.
  23. Don't water your lawn when it's windy.
  24. Purchase water-saving home appliances.
  25. Don't use running water to thaw meats or other frozen foods.
  26. Replace sticky toilet flush handles.
  27. Install aerator faucets.
  28. Don't take baths.
  29. If it's yellow, consider letting it mellow.
  30. Showerpool
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Comments: 5
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anonymous
Jamie K. May 10 2010 at 11:25 AM

Ditch the garbage disposal and recycle those plant nutrients and fibers by composting. It can be done even in an apartment with vermicomposting (worm bin). For other food waste, scrape into the trash. Its not just water, it takes energy to treat food wastes. In many rural areas, it is illegal to have a garbage disposal if you have a septic tank (overwhelms the system).

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anonymous
Pete May 07 2010 at 2:43 PM
Depending on who runs your local government and where you live, water conservation measures have become a farce and, in my view, environmentally counter-productive. I used to conserve water conscientiously. It seems like it's been an issue for the entire 50 odd years I've lived here. We have been living under varying degrees of mandated water restrictions for decades. So long that I can't really remember when it wasn't the case. About 15 years ago, it occurred to me that all water conservation
.... More
accomplished was to eliminate one small impediment to rampant over development. Massive subdivisions continued to sprout up on every empty parcel of land and lakefront acreage possible. Only this Republican Depression has temporarily mitigated it's unsustainable trajectory. The land developers are king, and have been for years. They collect politicians like kids collect baseball cards. Zoning laws accommodate larger and more dense development and variances are handed out like M&Ms without regard to impact or existing infrastructure. Traffic, noise and pollution soared as the quality of life plummeted. But, so many here are transplants, no one but a few old "natives" seemed to notice what was being lost. As the lakes dred up and sinkholes appeared, we were made to feel like it was our fault for taking too long showers in the morning. Poppycock. Water conservation does nothing but aid and abet unregulated and rampant over-development. By personally and perpetually conserving water, I am encouraging the very over-development that has destroyed the environment here and stymies any chance I have of recouping much of the value of the old house I bought 15 years ago. Now, with the Gulf in peril, there will truly be little reason for me to stay here other than I'm kind of old to be moving. Lack of water is the only thing that could have checked this cancer of over-development. The day I see a moratorium on new residential construction. The day I see any large development denied on the basis of lack of water, or any other infrastructure for that matter, then I will think about once again being conservation minded with fresh water. Until then, it's a feel-good measure that serves only to provide cover for the hit-and-run land developers. And for anyone concerned with the economic impact of a new building moratorium, yo needn't be. There is a far more beneficial economic impact in the construction rehab sector. New construction provides the lowest paying jobs, many of which are filled by imported personnel. The real money isn't local. What isn't given to politicians is taken back to Houston, Dallas, NY, or in a small but steady stream to Mexico. Besides being more environmentally responsible, rehab construction provides better jobs, more local contractors and is better for local economies. I'll save water when we have a drop in new residential construction and a net population loss over a few non-depression years in a row. But without a genuine water crisis, that will never happen.
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anonymous
Peter May 07 2010 at 2:41 PM
Depending on who runs your local government and where you live, water conservation measures have become a farce and, in my view, environmentally counter-productive. I used to conserve water conscientiously. It seems like it's been an issue for the entire 50 odd years I've lived here. We have been living under varying degrees of mandated water restrictions for decades. So long that I can't really remember when it wasn't the case. About 15 years ago, it occurred to me that all water conservation
.... More
accomplished was to eliminate one small impediment to rampant over development. Massive subdivisions continued to sprout up on every empty parcel of land and lakefront acreage possible. Only this Republican Depression has temporarily mitigated it's unsustainable trajectory. The land developers are king, and have been for years. They collect politicians like kids collect baseball cards. Zoning laws accommodate larger and more dense development and variances are handed out like M&Ms without regard to impact or existing infrastructure. Traffic, noise and pollution soared as the quality of life plummeted. But, so many here are transplants, no one but a few old "natives" seemed to notice what was being lost. As the lakes dred up and sinkholes appeared, we were made to feel like it was our fault for taking too long showers in the morning. Poppycock. Water conservation does nothing but aid and abet unregulated and rampant over-development. By personally and perpetually conserving water, I am encouraging the very over-development that has destroyed the environment here and stymies any chance I have of recouping much of the value of the old house I bought 15 years ago. Now, with the Gulf in peril, there will truly be little reason for me to stay here other than I'm kind of old to be moving. Lack of water is the only thing that could have checked this cancer of over-development. The day I see a moratorium on new residential construction. The day I see any large development denied on the basis of lack of water, or any other infrastructure for that matter, then I will think about once again being conservation minded with fresh water. Until then, it's a feel-good measure that serves only to provide cover for the hit-and-run land developers. And for anyone concerned with the economic impact of a new building moratorium, yo needn't be. There is a far more beneficial economic impact in the construction rehab sector. New construction provides the lowest paying jobs, many of which are filled by imported personnel. The real money isn't local. What isn't given to politicians is taken back to Houston, Dallas, NY, or in a small but steady stream to Mexico. Besides being more environmentally responsible, rehab construction provides better jobs, more local contractors and is better for local economies. I'll save water when we have a drop in new residential construction and a net population loss over a few non-depression years in a row. But without a genuine water crisis, that will never happen.
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anonymous
Florencia Ramirez May 07 2010 at 12:45 AM
I would add to your great list to consider capturing your water when it is heating up in the shower, kitchen sink or bathroom sink. You can use any bucket but I use the Ripple Products water saving buckets because they are made of an EVA plastic that is lightweight, recyclable and collapse. The buckets come in a set of three, one small enough to fit in my bathroom sink. Anytime the water is running we are catching it. We collect at LEAST 10 gallons of water each day that we reuse. Ideas for reusing
.... More
include watering plants, rinsing off dirty dishes, garbage disposal, a toilet flush...the list goes on. For more info on the water saving bucket visit www.azulconservationproducts.com. MNN readers can receive 30% off if they use the code MNN at check out only thru 5/12/10. Don't let the water go down the drain.
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anonymous
norm allenby May 06 2010 at 1:02 PM

Enter your comments here Hot water cycling pump providing instant hot water at the faucet

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