Here at Tritan, we always encourage ethical water consumption practices. Sure, conservation consciousness is easy in theory, but to actually put it into practice requires diligence and discipline at first. Fortunately, all it takes are a few small decisions throughout your day, whether it’s checking your running toilet or taking a shorter shower, to start saving gallons of wasted water.
So, we simply ask you to consider the following, and look at the small ways in which you may be wasting water around your house that could not only be draining resources but your wallet. Here are five ways that you may be wasting water and money without even knowing it:
Leaking Pipes
One of the most common and most obvious sources for wasted water that people regularly experience is that of water lost from leaky pipes. It is estimated that the average American household wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water each and every year due to leaking pipes.
Most often, we find that the biggest offender is the toilet. This might seem like an odd culprit to some, but it is due to the simple fact that these pipes and systems are used most frequently. Fortunately, if your toilet isn’t working properly, it’s pretty easy to identify. You will probably hear it running when not in use. If this is the case, be sure to contact us as soon as possible so that we can help you rectify the situation before it becomes a bigger issue for you (and your utility bills).
Extended Showers
Running water over extended periods of time is an obvious waste of resources and money. So, it goes without saying that excessively long showers waste a great deal of water. It is estimated that the average four-minute shower, using a standard (possibly dated) showerhead, uses about 20 gallons of water. If you’re unwilling to compromise on the length of your showers, but still wish to cut back on water use, consider talking to us about installing a low-flow shower head. This simple change can cut your use down by half or more!
Small Laundry Loads
Sure, everyone desires fresh, clean clothes, but do you really need to clean just one special shirt at a time? For all around savings, cut out those small loads of laundry, and don’t press start until you can actually fill an entire load. For some, it helps to stick to a laundry schedule. For others, a quick hand-wash in the sink will do the trick for that one special item you’ve been dying to wear. So, try expressing a bit of laundry self-control, and in no time, you’ll see your water usage and bill go down.
Watering the Lawn
Any homeowner with a lawn may enjoy the practice of lawn care, and in particular, keeping that beautiful lawn green. However, overwatering is a real problem when it comes to water consumption. What’s more is that this practice not only wastes water, but it’s actually going to prevent healthy growth; you’re just creating a soggy mess. Instead of overwatering, we suggest you look into an efficient irrigation system. That way, your lawn receives just the right amount of water, and you continue to save.
Food Waste
Food waste is often an unexpected source of water waste. You see, when it comes to wasting one thing, we tend to ignore the possibility that we could be wasting another. But, with food waste, there is a ripple effect – when you waste food, you waste a ton of water, too. Estimates show that about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted every single year. That equates to 45 trillion gallons of wasted water. That’s nearly a quarter of all water used for agriculture! With astonishing numbers like that, maybe it’s time to re-think throwing out that extra dinner plate.
Though it would be unreasonable to expect everyone to look at these areas of wasted resources and change overnight, we do hope that this article has at least been eye-opening. We encourage everyone to do their part, and make use of all resources at your disposal to better conserve water, and hey, your hard-earned money!
If you’d like to learn more about the small plumbing changes that you can make in order to improve your water efficiency, contact us today at 815-515-4062
