Tips to avoid water waste and save money

Of all of our natural resources, none is more precious than water. We can't live without it. And while the media continually draws the public's attention to the rising cost and consumption of oil and gas, very little attention is given to what will become the most serious resource issue in the next century--the international water shortage.

Flushing our toilets alone accounts for a staggering 40% of our water usage, with the bathroom being where we use a whopping 75% of our water inside the home. With a bit of thought and effort, though, we can save money and be "green" at the same time. Use these tips to save cash and conserve our most precious resource:

Bathroom

§  Add food coloring to the toilet tank. If it's leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, easily installed, and can save more than 600 gallons per month.

§  Place a plastic bottle weighted with pebbles and water in the toilet tank to use less water.

§  Install a low-flow showerhead to save more than 500 gallons of water per week.

§  Keep showers under 5 minutes to save up to 1000 gallons a month.

§  Turn off the water when brushing teeth, shaving, or face washing to save 200 gallons a week for a family of four!

Kitchen

§  Install a low-flow faucet aerator to cut water use in half.

§  Don't rinse dishes and save 20 gallons of water per dishwasher load.

§  Store drinking water in the fridge to avoid running the tap every time you want a cool glass of water.

§  Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or microwave instead of under running water.

§  Cook food in as little water as possible to save water and retain nutrients.

Around the house

§  Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.

§  Never put water down the drain. Use it for watering a plant, a garden, or cleaning.

§  Insulate water pipes for faster hot water and less waste. 

§  A faucet dripping at the rate of one drop per second wastes 2,700 gallons per year, so fix it.

§  Wash full loads of clothes to save up to 600 gallons each month.