Staying Home? Here Are Some Water Conservation Tips!

Many of us are spending more time at home due to “social distancing.”  This means more frequent cleaning, hand-washing, cooking, and laundry. Here are some conservation tips that could help lower your water use—and monthly utility bill—during these challenging times.

Turn off the Tap: Frequent,  longer hand washing doesn’t mean that you have to use larger amounts of water.  Simply wet your hands, turn off the tap while you lather for 20 seconds, and turn the faucet back on to rinse. Check out our video for more tips!

One Cup Per Day: Designate one glass or bottle for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash at the end of the day. If you have kids, designate a certain color cup for each child.  This will help them identify their cup and reduce the number of plastic water bottles used per day, which in turn, saves money.

Reduce Kitchen Water Use: You are probably cooking more meals at home. When defrosting meat, place it a bowl of cold water or in the fridge the night before you need it. Never run water over frozen meat. You can also reduce water use when cleaning fruits and vegetables. Just wash the produce in a bowl instead of under a running faucet. http://www.hpwd.org/new-blog?offset=1500908668677

Tune Up Your Irrigation System: According to the EPA, our landscape irrigation systems are only 50 percent efficient. Even the best-designed system will show signs of wear and tear over time. An annual inspection can help save water that may otherwise be wasted. Get out of the house for a few hours and examine your lawn irrigation system. For more tips and a video, click here.

Scout for Leaks: If you are tired of sitting in front of the TV or at your desk, take a break to look for leaks. Check all faucets, shower heads, toilet flappers, pipes under cabinets, and outdoor fixtures for any drips or excess moisture. The easiest way to spot a leak is to look at your water meter. Turn off all faucets, fixtures and water using appliances in your home.and Check your water meter, wait 30 minutes, and check it again.  If the meter changes, you probably have a leak. Toilets are often the culprit for leaks in our homes. Check your commode by conducting a dye test.

Kids Count: Water conservation isn’t just for adults. Get your kids involved! Ask your children to guess  how many times they will use water each day. Then have them tally up their actual water use during the day. They might be surprised by the results! Talk with your family about ways they use water and how they can help conserve it.

HPWD hopes that these water conservation tips will be helpful as many area residents are staying at home due to COVID-19 precautions.  Take this time to reconnect with your family, focus on the important things in your life and community, and help conserve and preserve our most precious natural resource – water!