What are some tips on how my family (of 6) can save water in our home?

Question

I like the first answer, except that I'm not sure if 5 people can fit in the shower at the same time! :0) I'm the only female! lol

Answer 1

Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it such as watering a plant or garden, or cleaning.
Verify that your home is leak-free, because many homes have hidden water leaks. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year which will add to the cost of water and sewer utilities, or strain your septic system.
Check for toilet tank leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear within 30 minutes. Check the toilet for worn out, corroded or bent parts. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. (Flush as soon as test is done, since food coloring may stain tank.)
Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other such waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
Take shorter showers. Replace you showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version. Some units are available that allow you to cut off the flow without adjusting the water temperature knobs.
Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain first and filling the tub only 1/3 full. Stopper tub before turning water. The initial burst of cold water can be warmed by adding hot water later.
Don't let water run while shaving or washing your face. Brush your teeth first while waiting for water to get hot, then wash or shave after filling the basin.
Retrofit all wasteful household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors.
Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded or properly set the water level for the size of load you are using.
When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool glass of water.
Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or by using the defrost setting on your microwave.
Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste instead of using a garbage disposal. Garbage disposals also can add 50% to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to malfunctions and maintenance problems.
Consider installing an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up. This will reduce heating costs for your household.
. Insulate your water pipes. You'll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
Never install a water-to-air heat pump or air-conditioning system. Air-to-air models are just as efficient and do not waste water.
Install water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum amount of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness. Turn softeners off while on vacation.
Check your pump. If you have a well at your home, listen to see if the pump kicks on and off while the water is not in use. If it does, you have a leak.
When adjusting water temperatures, instead of turning water flow up, try turning it down. If the water is too hot or cold, turn the offender down rather than increasing water flow to balance the temperatures.
If the toilet flush handle frequently sticks in the flush position, letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it.

Answer 2

Don't water the lawn. Of course you grass will probably die, so people who really want to save water change their landscape to use native plants that can survive with little or no watering, just natural rain.

Lawn watering accounts for about 80% of my water use in summer. The rest of the year my water use is so small I don't even care. This summer, at least so far, has been unusually rainy here in Texas, so I am saving LOTS of water. But nobody cares because all the lakes are over flowing. We have too much water. Billions of gallons are just flowing down the rivers into the ocean every day, so it does not matter one little bit if some of it goes through my shower before being returned to the river (through the sewage treatment plant) to continue on its way to the ocean.

In a dry summer, the city restricts lawn watering. In severe shortage cases they prohibit all outdoor watering, and all the yards die. But they never try to tell people to take fewer showers or whatever. That just accounts for such a tiny percentage of all water use that it doesn't matter at all. Landscape watering (and farm irrigation) is where almost all the water is used in this country, and all around the world. In poor countries it is all farm irrigration. Poor people cannot afford to have a landscape and they survive on a few gallons of water each day carried from a well or river in buckets.

Answer 3

There are six of us too, so I understand! :)

The biggest thing was the 2 teens & the shower. We gave them a 10 minute maximum, and bought a really loud timer. After 10 are up, the water gets cut off...... but I give them a 2 minute warning. (sounds mean, but it works)

I had my husband fill up a shampoo bottle with sand & put it in the toilet tank. Now our old toilet uses less water.

I don't do partial loads of laundry. We have a water saving shower head and faucts.

We keep a pitcher of water in the fridge at all times.....no running the water until it gets cold!

We use rain water for the garden and plants.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

A timer on showers, with some small allowance made for long hair, with make the biggest difference.

Low-flow toilets are cheap now. Replace the water-guzzlers.

Turn of water at the tap while brushing teeth, lathering hands, washing dishes, etc.

Water plants with clean wastewater--the melted ice from beverages, someone's half-drunk water bottle, etc.

Minimize grass areas of the lawn in favor of a garden of native plants which will thrive on whatever rain there is. Leave yourself enough grass for play or picnic purposes, but rethink the front yard, perhaps.

Answer 5

One easy way is to put on low-flow showerheads and faucet connectors. In your yard use plants that don't require a lot of water. If you have grass, don't water it every day. A lot of water is wasted just so people's lawns look perfect year-round, but it's unnecessary. Wash dishes by hand rather than using a dishwasher - or better yet - make the kids wash them by hand!

Answer 6

Reduce, reuse, recycle will save money and energy. Ride your bike to a friends house or park instead of begging for a ride. Use a spray bottle to wet your hair down when coming inside from a hot day instead of cranking the A/C.

Answer 7

2 showers per day:
1 for the boys
1 for the girls

Answer 8

Get a few to move out.

Answer 9

like what i do in my house set a time limit

Answer 10

turn off the water when you brush your teeth