In an earlier post, we discussed the importance of not only watching your water usage, but of getting involved in the care and management of the water you depend on. Of course, river cleanups make little difference if the river is not there to clean up — conservation comes first. As per request, below are some way to conserve water in your daily lives.

First, the easy ones:

Don’t let the water run.  Period.

• When washing dishes, fill one sink with wash water and one sink with rinse water. Also, don’t let the water run over tough-to-clean pots and pans; fill them with soapy water and let them soak.
• Brush your teeth while the water is off, and fill a cup, rather than hand-scooping running water, to rinse.
• Get in the shower as soon as the water is warm. Don’t walk away after turning the shower on because you’re “just waiting for it to heat up,” so that you can jump in as soon as it warms up. You might even try collecting the cold water in a bucket or bowl to reuse for watering plants or rinsing vegetables.
• Wash fruits and vegetables in a bowl instead of under running water.

Fix leaky faucets as soon as possible. In the meantime, collect the dripping water for use elsewhere. According to WaterUseitWisely.com,  this can save 140 gallons a week.

Only wash clothes or run the dishwasher when you have a full load. Full loads, means fewer loads.

Water your lawn early in the morning and later in the evening to reduce evaporation. Don’t forget to check the saturation of your lawn before watering with your fingers. If the first 2-3 inches are moist, you don’t need to water.

Check your bill.  Your water bill may be pennies compared to what you pay for electricity, but conserving water can save you money, too.  Your bill will tell you exactly how much water you’re using as well as help you to set goals for reduction.

And some that take a bit more of effort:

Upgrade your appliances. Many refrigerators, ice-makers and air conditioners are water-cooled; switch to air-cooled to save water.

Get a water-saving shower head. You can test the one you already have with a bucket — if it fills up in less than 20 seconds, you should definitely consider replacement.

Harvest your rainwater for use during dry spells.

Replace your older and/or inefficient toilet. Low flow and dual-flush toilets can save anywhere between 50 and 80 gallons a day. A low-cost alternative to replacing your toilet is adding a homemade displacement device.

By Amelia Harnish