For our Earth Month Tip #2 we’re taking a look at water conservation in the home. This is a big one, but it can be broken down in manageable projects.
Sadly, we are still largely a society that takes its water for granted. I know this doesn’t go for regions of the country routinely hit by drought and imposed water conservation initiatives, but I still see a lack of awareness of just how limited this precious resource is in the day-to-day activities of many of my fellow citizens.
It doesn’t take a huge dipper into the savings to take some significant water-saving steps around the home. Here are a few you can do on your own and on the cheap:
Install a high-efficiency showerhead. This is a straightforward DIY job that will save gallons upon gallons over the course of the year. Today’s replacement showerheads are so well designed that you won’t even notice the decrease in water flow.
Install a low-flush toilet. Okay, toilets aren’t always cheap. But the prices on low-flush and dual-flush models creep ever lower. Replacing a toilet is a great weekend project, too. Nothing like getting intimate with the home’s plumbing system.
Fix a leaking faucet. Outdoor faucets are notorious black holes for the home’s water supply.
Replace a toilet flush valve. Don’t want to replace the whole toilet? Then start with that leaking flush valve, which quietly leaks hundreds of dollars into the sewer each year. Another DIY job.
Replace a leaky shutoff valve. These valves can become corroded and start to leak. You’ll save water, money and the headache of cleaning up the slowly-growing mess in the basement or crawlspace.
Pick one of these five projects and tackle it this weekend. You won’t spend more than a couple hours and the price of a meal out and you’ll be helping the Earth and your water bill. Win, win!
