Water Conservation in the Shower

How much water do you think is used by showering in the United States annually?  According to the EPA, that figure is 1.2 trillion gallons.  Reducing the amount of fresh water you use in the shower can be very simple, and important.  The Earth Policy Institute states that water tables are, "falling under the Great Plains and throughout the southwest."  Water shortages could occur if the water is used before the water tables have a chance to replenish.

Installing a low flow showerhead can drastically lower your water usage.  Showerheads with a water sense label use a maximum of 2 gallons of water per minute (gpm) while standard showerheads use 2.5 gpm.  Comparing the two figures, a low flow showerhead saves at least half a gallon of water each minute.  While half a gallon may not sound like a lot, imagine if everyone in your community had low flow showerheads.  That would result in a lot of water saved everyday.

Installing a low flow showerhead is a great start, but to save additional water, more or perhaps less, needs to be done.  Quite simply, showering for shorter periods of time.  A low flow showerhead does not help conserve water if you stand under it until the hot water heater is drained.  Before you step into the shower, make a goal of showering in less than a certain time.  An egg timer or stopwatch app can also help you know when it is time to start drying off.

A final suggestion for saving water is to temporarily turn off the water while you wash and shampoo. While scrubbing and lathering, you don't need the water running.  In fact, the water could be rinsing some of the soap or shampoo off of your hands while you wash, causing you to require more soap and shampoo.  When you are done washing, simply turn the water back on and rinse.  I've found that turning the water off is quite easy with showers that have a single handle.  Showers that have hot and cold handles are trickier to turn back on since it can be more difficult to correctly adjust the heat of the water.

What tips do you have for saving water in the shower?  We would love read your comments.

Installing a Rain Barrel

Installing a rain barrel is a fantastic way that we can reduce our tap water usage.   Basically, whenever it rains, water is diverted from the gutters and into the barrel.  During a storm, any excess water flows through a hose at the top and into the grass.  Then, when you need to irrigate, you can either place a watering can under the tap or attach a hose to the valve in the bottom of the barrel.

When you purchase or make a rain barrel, there are some important things that should be done prior to installation.  First of all, the rain barrel needs a solid surface to rest on.  If your downspouts are not located by a solid surface, you will need to dig out a couple of inches of soil.  You will then need to form a base by putting gravel down, one inch at a time, and tamp it down each time.  Once the compacted gravel is close to the surface of the soil, you will then need to place some sand on top of the gravel.  Once the sand is on top of the gravel, tamp it down.  Then you can use a two foot level and to make sure the sand is level.  Once the sand is level, you are ready to place your stepping stones or bricks down.

Once you have a solid place to set the rain barrel, you will then need to cut away part of the downspout so the rainbarrel can fit under it.  Then reattach the elbow to the downspout, ensuring that the rain will flow into the rain barrel.

It is important that your rain barrel has a lid on top so that young children don't accidentally fall in.  A fine screen is necessary for the part of the lid where water flows in.  The screen keeps debris and adult mosquitoes out of the water.

Additionally, depending on your roofing materials, harmful chemicals may leak into the rainwater from your roof. Roofs with treated cedar shingles, old tar, and asphalt shingles can leech toxins into your runoff water.  It is recommended not to use the rainwater that is collected from your roof to water herbs, vegetables, and fruit.

Besides helping to irrigate your ornamental garden or lawn during dry spells, storing rain in rain barrels lowers runoff and the amount of water flowing into storm sewers.  This can potentially lower the effects of flooding in a community.   I own one rain barrel and during a storm, it can collect and store 50 gallons of rainfall.  My home is 864 square feet.  If one inch of rainfall landed on my roof, a total of 539 gallons of water would flow through the gutters.  My rain barrel would store about 9.28 % of the runoff.  Of course, most storm sewers can easily handle an inch of rain at a time.  However, by storing water, rain barrels can be an important tool to help minimize flooding during heavier storms.

For more rain barrel tips, check out this rain barrel care guide.

Welcome Back Grass

Currently, much of the U.S. is experiencing drought conditions. Last month, we had so little rain that the grass at my home began to turn brown. Well, the shady areas still had some green. And the weeds seemed to have no problem with the lack of rain. I even broke down and used a sprinkler to water my two birch trees that were shedding leaves.

As of now, we have had plenty of rain within the last two weeks. The yard is mostly green again. Which brings me to my point, that grass does not need as much water as is commonly believed. According to All About Lawns, one inch of water per week is a general rule to go by.

From my experience, grass that has turned brown will recover on its own once you have sufficient rain. Why waste water irrigating and consequently have to mow your lawn more frequently.

How long can you resist the urge to irrigate your lawn?

Pulling Water Out of Thin Air

If it's dry outside but humid in your basement or bathroom, then you can use a dehumidifier to lower the humidity levels. The dehumidifier essentially cools the air in a small space. By lowering the temperature, the water vapor condenses in water droplets, thereby lowering the humidity level in a room. You can see the same occur when you have an ice cold drink outside on a hot day. When your dehumidifier's tank is full, take the tank out and water some of your plants. While this another way to reduce the amount of tap water used on irrigation, do not use your dehumidifier in rooms with open windows. The humidity levels inside will not decrease by much since you will have more water vapor coming indoors from the outside air. Do you have other ways to reduce the water used on irrigation? Feel free to share. I'd love to try them out.

Washing Fruits and Vegetables

If you are like me, your rain barrel has spent a good part of the summer being bone dry. A simple way to gather water for your plants is to place a large bowl in your sink when you wash produce. When you finish, simply take the bowl out and water one of your thirsty plants. While you won't be able to water all of your plants this way,you will save an equal amount of tap water from being used for irrigation.

Shorter Showers

“Clean water is precious.”  I’m still surprised that my father said this.  I wouldn’t say that he used water extravagantly, but he also never minded when my brother and I would routinely flood our sandbox as kids.  Still, I’m impressed by his awareness since he does not live in an area that suffers from water shortages.  

I also used to waste water by taking extra long showers, showering to the point where there was no hot water left.  According to Drinktap.org, the average person uses 11.6 gallons of water to shower each day.

A few years ago, when I became aware of the importance of water, I resolved to take five minute showers.  This was hard since I enjoy waking up each morning with the prolonged feel of hot water on my face.  Still, most days I am able to accomplish it.  

Another thing that helps conserve water is for me to turn the water off when I’m lathering up.  I really don’t need it when I’m trying to apply soap or shampoo.  While I miss soaking up the hot water, I feel good knowing that I’ve reduced my water consumption.  

Do you have any tricks for reducing your water consumption?  Please share.