I lived where saving water was very important. The city had only one source of water. If the lake from which it came was low, no water. So yes, I learned of the water police; they watch, fine, and can even put a lien on your property.
Now in San Diego, we have the same thing. Most of us take things like water for granted. We waste so much of everything, and it's all catching up to us. Changing your habits on a few things will make it second nature.
There are many ways to save, the dishwasher being the first. Always make sure you have a full load before running. If pots, pans, skillets, etc. are really dirty, try letting the bottoms set with water in them, and wash by hand. If your dishes are coming out of the dishwasher dirty, running it again is not the answer.
I made it so everyone used the same glass all day, instead of always getting a clean one. You will be surprised how few dirty glasses there are at day's end. You can also do this with everyone having a bottle of water in fridge with their name on it, instead of dirty unlimited cups or glasses.
When you cleaning, don't let the water just run. There is no need to let water run and run to "get hot". If it doesn't warm up, take a look at the water heater. You can put a bucket under the faucet. Instead of it going down the drain, it can be used for cleaning or watering.
I have even dumped this water in the washing machine for the next load. Make sure your washing machine always has a full load, or adjust the setting, according to size of the load.
Baths are great but filling tub up to the top is wasting water, or letting it run until it is hot. It will get hot, so just be patient, and don't let it run down the drain. Bubble baths or salt baths are great, but if you are using toxic things to make this happen, you need to think, "do I really want that on my skin?". Use organic salts or bubbles with only a few drops of liquid soap.
After enjoying your bath, you can take bucket and use this water for plants, gardens, or even for washing the car. You can put this water is washing machine also before doing a load of laundry. If you weren't planning to do laundry until morning, it's fine. Pour water in washer and leave it until the am.
Toilets take so much unnecessary water. One solution is either go to hardware store or place like Home Depot and purchase a low flow kit for your tank. My thrifty way is put a brick in the tank. You also can use a bottle or plastic bag filled with water. This makes it so when tank is refilling it doesn't use more water than needed.
Watering your grass doesn't need done near as often as you think. Our city allowed only before 9am and after 6pm on alternating days of the week. San Diego is one of the most beautiful cities in the country. It has beautiful landscapes, and this did nothing to change that.
Water less; if when watering there is run off, it is being wasted. The ground only takes what it needs. Make sure if you have automated system, you adjust settings.
Washing your car is another way we can all waste water. Do not let the hose just run. Instead use a bucket (this is where bath water can be recycled). Soap down your car, and then only use hose to spray off. I promise its takes less time than you think to have a clean car.
Here are a few solutions that year around will help save on your water bill. Remember water shortage is a problem for everyone. Try to do your part. It's about more than being able to afford the fines. It's about having enough water for everyone to have and even water for the crops which we need to eat. Once you start doing these things it gets to be second nature. One hour showers should be a thing of the past.
By Luana M. from San Diego, CA
This page contains the following solutions.
Many people don't realize that dishwashers actually save hot water and save money. You will notice that a dishwasher cannot hold much water.
Everything seems to just keep going up, up, up these days! To say things are tight around our house is a major understatement! So, I have decided to do a few short articles on the things our little family does to try to save money/keep costs down.
Instead of running the hot tap, while waiting for the water to get hot, and letting the water run down the sink, I keep a large jug by the sink and run the water into that.
Get wet first when showering, and then turn the shower off. Clean body all over, and turn the shower back on to rinse and remove soap. I use a lot less water this way.
I never realized how important is was to conserve water until we had the drought a few years ago . I turned the water flow down on each faucet except the dishwasher and washing machine
If you have a faucet leak or leaky roof, collect the water in a bucket and pour it into your toilet. The force of the water being poured in will flush your toilet without using the water in the tank.
I have several ways of saving water besides not letting the water run while brushing my teeth. When washing clothes, I drain the rinse water into 5 gallon buckets.
Keep a bucket in your shower/bath tub and kitchen sink to catch the water you run until you get hot water.
While waiting for hot water from your sink to get hot, place a milk jug under the faucet to collect water. Use this water to water plants, pets, etc. You'll be surprised with how much water you've collected.
We have recently moved to Kentucky. The Fall has been very, very dry and our dishwasher requires that you run the tap until the water is hot. So, my husband purchased a terrific, barn red watering can me that I can use to "catch" the water from the tap until it runs hot.
Here's a tip to save money on water I bet you have never thought of. Keep a dish pan in your sink and after you use the loo, but before you flush, wash your hands in the sink, (over the dish pan) and use that water to flush with.
Hey all. I don't have the option to save a lot on all my utilities, but I have learned to save a lot on my water.
I use a 4 quart ice cream pail to catch the cool water while waiting for the water to get hot to take my shower. I usually have a full pail and use this water to water my plants.
To save water when flushing your toilet, remove the tank lid and put a brick into the tank. This replaces some of the water that would normally go down the drain. In time you will notice a slight reduction in your water bill depending on use.
To save water, empty the back of your toilet and put a 2 litre bottle into the back filled with water. When you flush, it will use less water. I did this in the washer as well, it worked for smaller loads.
To save water in your commode tank, if you have one of the bigger tanks. Fill two quart sized canning jars full of water. Take tank lid off, and flush the toilet. Right away, put the two filled jars in the corner of the tank, so as not to interfere with with the flapper and other working parts. The jars can only touch tank walls.
With the drought conditions in many parts of the country, begin to conserve water even if your state hasn't been affected. If it's yellow, let it mellow, bathroom-wise. Turn off the water while brushing. Use gray water for the lawn and plants.
Since we are on a well and not city water my husband is always trying to save wear on our pump. He purchased a special shower head that you turn off after you get wet and are soaping up or shampooing.
One great way to save water is from your faucets. By keeping a big bucket handy you can catch enough to water quiet a few plants instead of letting it go down the drain. When on water restrictions, this really comes in handy.
We have an instant on demand water heater, so while waiting for the cold water to run out of the pipes, instead of just letting it run, I put my flower watering pots on the counter and fill them until the water gets hot.
To save on water take showers, not baths. A five minute shower will use about 7.5 gallons of water, while filling a bathtub can use up to 20 gallons.
Fill a one liter bottle with water and place in your toilet tank. You will save a liter of water every time you flush.
There is a rule in my home. "Do NOT flush the toilet for just urine." When someone has a BM then we flush, otherwise not. We put the toilet paper in the trash and take it out everyday. It really saves on the amount of water used.
Put rocks in plastic bottles. Place the bottles inside the back of your toilet so that they take up space, and the water fills the tank faster. By doing this, you use less water to fill the toilet tank and save $!
I changed my washer to a front-loader; buying it when it was on sale. I am not only saving money on water and getting cleaner clothes, but I also got a rebate from my utility.
I use my dehumidifier water to flush the toilet. I was a little hesitant to use the water for my plants (although it may be completely fine). So, I decided every time I have a full bucket, I would bring it up from the basement and use it to flush!
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Tips for saving water. Post your ideas.
While doing your laundry, try adding your liquid fabric softener at the correct time. By running the rinse cycle over, you'll be wasting 10 more gallons of water.
By Terri H.
Editor's Note: If you don't have a dispenser in your machine, set a timer so you don't miss the rinse cycle.
Another hint is to invest in a Downy ball, they cost a couple of dollars and then you add it when loading the washer and don't have to worry about missing the rinse cycle!!!
`breeanasmommy
You can also get a small spray bottle and put liquid fabric softener in that. Rather than having to dash to the washing machine to put the fabric softener in at the correct time, use a wash cloth or rag, spray the fabric softener on the wash cloth -- about six squirts works well, and place the wash cloth with fabric softener on it in the dryer with the clothes. You use less fabric softener that way, still get the results, and save yourself considerable stress. Incidentally, most fabric softeners hamper the absorbency of towels. Do not use fabric softener on things like polar fleece or children's pajamas -- especially the sleep sacks for very young children. Fabric softener contains agents that remove the fire retardent in children's pajamas, and cause fabrics like polar fleece to become flammable.
What i do too save on water is when i take a shower i put the plug in the tub. Then when i am done i carry the water out in buckets too water my plants & garden. I do the same thing when i do the dishes. I know it might sound gross but the plants just thrive on it & save you a lot of money.
Ok I love to save $, the earth etc. only I learned a horrible lesson in San Francisco during a drought.
I was living there with my aunt we were asked by
water co. to volunteer cutback on water we did this for 4 months. It was tough I ended up cutting my long, thick hair as my aunt set timers for showers!
Long story short we did great and neighbor was a water pig, washing his car outside on driveway watering concrete. Well after our 4 months the water co. audited water useage and the water pigs who used more GOT MORE alloted water and if we went over our meager amount we were fined so much for
overage. It was one long, horrid dry summer .
I am careful but this is one area I do not
go nuts about and our water bill is usually $16.00 a month here in Missouri.
If you have an older (not water-saving) toilet, put a brick or small paver in the tank. It saves water with each flush.
If you live in a multi-story home and your hot water heater is in the attic, you know how long it can take to get hot water to run in the kitchen sink before starting the dishwasher.
