Everybody has a responsibility to save water, if we intend to allow future generations to enjoy a similar standard of living to the one we enjoy now. Some impacts of poor water management are being felt in our own generation.

Here are some tips to help make your home more water efficient.

In the Whole House:

  ~ Check for leaks from faucets and pipes. Even the smallest drip can waste as much as 20 gallons of water a day.

In the Bathroom:

  ~ Flush less — remember the toilet is not an ashtray or wastebasket.

  ~ While brushing teeth, shaving, etc., turn off the water.

  ~ When cold water will do, avoid using hot water.

  ~ Take shorter showers — 5 minutes or less.

  ~ In the shower, wet yourself down, turn the water off, lather up, then turn the water on to rinse off soap.

In the Kitchen:

  ~ Operate the dishwasher only when you have a full load.

  ~ Scrape, don’t rinse, your dishes before loading in the dishwasher.

  ~ When purchasing a dishwasher, consider a water-efficient model.

  ~ Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or microwave, not under running water.

  ~ Store drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the tap run while you wait for cool water to flow.

  ~ When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink to one-third or one-half full — avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.

In the Laundry:

  ~ For washers with variable settings for water volume, select the minimum amount required per load.

  ~ If load size cannot be set, operate the washer with full loads only.

  ~ Use the shortest wash cycle for lightly soiled loads; normal and permanent press wash cycles use more water.

  ~ Check hoses regularly for leaks.

  ~ Pretreat stains to avoid rewashing.

Water Saving Tips courtesy of Brac Gray Water Systems.