Plumbing Help: Conserving Water Indoors in the California Drought

Is Mother Nature demonstrating a strange sense of humor or a cruel sense of irony?

Illinois residents just endured their wettest, stormiest June in history (with about 9 inches of rain, shattering a state record set in 1902). Meanwhile, Californians are suffering a drought that has seriously strained water supplies, potentially putting their health and well-being at risk.

Clearly, the days of being careless about letting the faucet and shower run needlessly as we prepare food, brush our teeth and take showers are over. The typical American household consumes a whopping 260 gallons of water every day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Unfortunately, much of that consumption is unnecessary.

Target the flow sources

You can do your part to cut back your indoor water use during the California drought, and you can start right away. Use this plumbing help and begin by inspecting the biggest water sources in your home for leaks and drips and then repair them promptly. New washers is all they might need! A steady drip looks harmless enough. But by the end of a year, it can add up to 2,700 gallons of lost water. Once the leaks are repaired, enact some simple (and relatively painless) steps to conserve water throughout your home.

Target the “heavy hitters” first:

• Your toilets account for the greatest water use in most homes, or about 30 percent of the total, according to the EPA. While no one is suggesting that you cut back on the number of necessary flushes, the time is now to avoid wasteful flushes of facial tissue, hair, insects and other debris that easily can be tossed in a trash can instead.

Check the handle to ensure that it isn't stuck in the flush position, which allows water to run constantly. Consider replacing older, inefficient toilets with high-efficiency toilets that can save between ½ to 5 gallons per flush.

• Your showers account for about 20 percent of indoor water use, so it's wise to target the showerheads. High-efficiency fixtures are affordably priced at between $10 to $20 each, but can deliver water savings that really add up – to the tune of about 2 gallons per minute or an overall savings of 25 to 60 percent, according to the EPA. In the meantime – and we know it requires patience and discipline, but – try turning off the water in the shower while you lather up.
  
  

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• Your washing machine and dishwasher are true water guzzlers, consuming about 40 gallons and between 10 and 15 gallons of water during every run cycle, respectively. Keep in mind that these numbers are estimates.

Older appliances generally use more water, and Energy Star appliances can slash these numbers by one-third to one-half. If the time isn't right for you to invest in a new water-saving appliance, be judicious about how you use the appliances you do have.

For example, select the water level on your washing machine carefully. It's a waste to run enough water for an extra large load when you're washing only a medium load. Similarly, run your dishwasher only when it's full (not partially full) of dishes. But don't hang a black towel over this appliance just yet; most studies show that hand-washing dishes consumes more water than running dishes through a dishwasher cycle.

Conserve water throughout your home

Now that you're gaining real momentum using this plumbing help to conserve indoor water, keep the flow going by taking other proactive steps. Some may require more diligence and fortitude than others, but they'll definitely add up.

• Before emptying a sink or tub, consider how the water might be put to another use, such as watering your indoor plants or outdoor garden.
• Start a compost pile to dispose of food scraps instead of running them through another household water guzzler: the garbage disposal. To deflect odors, keep a little compost can indoors during the summer, near an open box of baking soda, and outdoors during the fall and winter.
• Fill a pitcher of water and place it in the refrigerator rather than letting the faucet run long enough to get cold for drinking water. You'll save more than water; you'll save energy, too, since letting the faucet run for five minutes uses as much energy as leaving a 60-watt light bulb on for 22 hours straight.
  
  
• Take a reading of your water meter at a time you can go a full two hours without using any indoor water. Then take the reading again. If the number has changed, you have a water leak, and Experts In Your Home can offer you plumbing help to pinpoint and repair.

It's true of most home “fix-it projects” that once you begin exploring, you often discover more than you bargained for. Remember that Experts In Your Home Chico Plumbers are just one phone call away – your best “natural resource” to help you conserve water during a drought, save money and enjoy a more energy-efficient lifestyle.