Water Conservation Made Easy

 

            You certainly know by now that eastern Canada, among other places, is facing a severe drought. This is the time to become a water conservationist if you are not already in that bailiwick.

            These tips will get you on the road to being more water conscious that will go beyond the time that this dry spell is, hopefully, over. They are cost effective with many being free and others that involve purchasing products for long term water conservation.

 Do not let the water run when you are brushing your teeth or shaving.

·         Cut your showers/baths back to every other day and do a quick wash from a basin on the other days.

·         Install water saving showerheads and aerators on your taps to save on water usage.

·         Thaw foods in the fridge instead of in water (which is not a good practice anyway).

·         Use leftover cooking water to water indoor and outdoor plants, bushes, flowers, etc.

·         Purchase a rain barrel (or see if anyone has one for free with a post on social media). You will get a good cardio workout while transferring the water collected to your outdoor shrubs, flowers, etc. Install a water pump in the barrel (like the kind used in aquariums) to keep the water moving which will protect against having standing water which attracts mosquitoes. Other bonuses to having a rain barrel include being able to flush the toilet when the power goes off (if you are on a well and septic) and saving money on your water bill.

·         Put a brick (or two) in your toilet tank, depending on the size. With regular toilets, not all of the water in the tank is needed for flushing. Bricks will displace the water thus saving on water each time you flush.

·         Put drinking water in the fridge instead of running it out of the tap while waiting for it to get cold.

·         Only do full loads of laundry and fill the dishwasher before running it.

·         When washing pots and pans, do not run the water to rinse them. Dip them in a sink or basin full of water for rinsing.

·         Collect water produced by air conditioning units and dehumidifiers to water plants, etc.

·         If you don’t have young children (who could get scalded), turn the temperature on your water heater up so the hot water comes faster when you need it.

·         Insulate hot water pipes with thick foam rubber to keep the water warm/hot longer.

·         Sweep driveways, decks, sidewalks and steps instead of using a power washer.

·         Use a small amount of water and steam your vegetables or cook them in a cast iron frying pan (add olive oil, cracked salt and pepper and cook to desired consistency). This way of cooking has the added benefit of preserving nutrients that are lost when you boil vegetables to cook them.

Now that you have expanded your knowledge base, you can enjoy the benefits of being kind to the environment around you, especially with precious water as a resource we all need to survive.