Six Fantastic Water Conservation Ideas

							Six Fantastic Water Conservation Ideas
By: Sarah Bernheim



                                                One thing that is vitally important these days is water
                                                conservation. Farmers are constantly at risk of their crops
                                                being destroyed by a water drought. In other cases, the
                                                lack of water can make fighting forest fires difficult. The
                                                cost of a water shortage can be very high.

                                                Thankfully, everyone can do their own part to help
                                                conserve water. Below are six great water saving tips that
                                                can help make a difference.

                                                1. Wash Your Hands with Less Water

Every time a person washes her hands, lots of water tends to be wasted. However, this does not have to
be the case. One way to stop wasting water is to not run the faucet while lathering your hands up with
soap. Instead, only turn it on when you wet your hands and then later when you wash them off.

2. Try Rain Water Harvesting

Harvesting rain water is another great way to help conserve this precious natural resource. Simply,
check the weather forecast on the TV, radio or internet. When rain is predicted, place some large
buckets outside to collect it. This rain water can then be used to water plants, wash clothes or even flush
the toilet.

3. Water Your Lawn Correctly

One fact that many people are not aware of is that one of the most common killers of lawns is
overwatering. Overwatering is both harmful to plant life and wastes gallons of water. Instead, try to only
water your lawn when it needs it. If it rained the previous night, turn off your sprinklers for a day. Also,
only water your lawn early in the morning when the water is less likely to immediately evaporate.

4. Be Smarter when You Wash Your Clothes

Another household task that wastes a lot of water is the laundry. Some of the best water conservation
ideas involve methods of cleaning clothes with less water. Washing clothes without a washing machine
is of course one way to save gallons of water. However, simply waiting until a full load of clothes piles up
to run the washing machine can also save a great deal of water as well.

5. Check for Leaks

Lastly, checking for and fixing leaks can greatly increase water conservation at home. A leaky faucet can
waste gallons in a week. There may also be leaks in other areas you may not expect such as pools,
fountains, showerheads or even the bathtub.

6. Use a Car Wash that Recycles Water

Not every car wash wastes the water it uses. Some collect the water used to wash cars and later re-use
it to clean other vehicles. Becoming a patron of such an establishment can help lessen the impact that
car washes have on an area’s water supply.