Water Wise: 10 Tips

GREEN HOME - The less water we use at home the more energy we save. You can save water, save the earth, and save money, too.

1. Stop Those Leaks!
Check your indoor water using appliances and devices for leaks. Check out Water Wiser Drip Calculator. Many silent leaks allow water and your money to go down the drain. To help detect unseen leaks go to read your meter. Studies have shown homes can waste more than 10% due leaking, which costs both you and the environment.

2. Shower shorter.
Install a water-efficient showerhead that uses 2.5 gallons/minute or less.

3. Replace your old Toilet, the largest water user inside your home.
If your home was built before 1992 and the toilet has never been replaced, then it is very likely that you do not have a water efficient 1.6 gallon per flush toilet. You can check the date stamp inside the toilet by lifting the lid and looking at the back of the toilet at the manufacturer's imprint of the make, model and date of manufacture.

4. Replace your Clothes Washer, the second largest water user in your home.
Energy Star™ rated washers that also have a Water Factor at or lower than 9.5, use 35-50% less water and 50% less energy per load. This saves you money on both your water and energy bills. There is a current qualifying products listing of water efficient clothes washer models maintained by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency.

5. Fill ‘er up
Run your dishwasher on the energy-saving cycle and only run full loads.

6. Check your irrigation system
Fix irrigation system leaks quickly and check for water in the gutters or mud puddles. Inspect your sprinklers and drip sprayers regularly for leaks during the daytime since the optimal time to water is in the nighttime hours when you cannot observe leaks. If you have an older irrigation system, over 50% and even more than 75% of the water can be lost to leaks.

7. Plant the Right Plants with Proper Landscape Design & Irrigation
Whether you are putting in a new landscape or slowly changing the current landscaping at your home, select plants that are appropriate for your local climate conditions. Having yard with 100% lawn turf area in a dry desert climate uses significant amounts of water. Also consider xeriscaping and a more natural landscape or wildscape.

7. Give your sprinkler time off.
Most lawns and gardens get 20-50 percent more water than they really need. You can cut watering times 2 to 5 minutes for every 10 minutes you
water and still have a healthy landscape.

8. Water wisely
Water only in the early morning or at night when evaporation is at its lowest. Install a “smart” controller, available at an irrigation supply house. This device automatically tells your irrigation system how much to water.

10. Water Only What Your Plants Need
Most water is wasted in your garden by watering when you plants do not need the water or by not maintaining the irrigation system. Be attentive if you are manual watering by setting your oven timer or some other reminder to move the water promptly. Make sure your irrigation controller has a rain shutoff device and that it's appropriately scheduled. Most water is wasted in months prior to or just after the rainy season when intermittent rains occur. You can also consider installing a weather adjusting ET irrigation controller that automatically saves water by not watering when the plants don't need the water, check with your local water provider to inquire if ET controllers work in your area.

Source: GlobalStweards.com