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Lower Water Bills
As our population grows, water shortages will occur in many cities. Droughts
will even cause some of these cities to regulate water. For those in heavy precipitation
areas, wasting water is still a bad idea since surplus water can be saved for
future use or sold to areas in need. Not to mention, water costs money and water
prices will only be rising.
- Watering Lawn
- If you own your own home and have to water your lawn, watering in the evenings
and early mornings allows the water to soak in to the lawn. Daytime watering
is not recommended since a major portion of the water actually evaporates
in the sunlight before it has a chance to soak into the lawn. This means you
would have to water longer which wastes water and money. Some water companies
will even charge you more for watering during the day. And don't forget to
check your cities watering restrictions, which may limit which days you can
water your lawn.
Adjust your sprinkler system to find the optimum watering time. Many people
over water their lawn. And remember, do not water on days you have received
a good amount of rain. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, turn it
off on the days it has rained. Better yet, install a soil-moisture sensor.
These devises tell your automatic sprinkler system to water only on days when
your lawn needs it.
If you have a sprinkler system, make sure each spot is receiving an adequate
amount of water. An easy way to check this is to place shallow cans (tuna
cans work nicely) at various places around the lawn. After one cycle, check
the cans and adjust your system as necessary.
- Select the Right Kind of Grass
- I am amazed at how many people in the western, arid states use Kentucky
Blue grass. If you are looking to do a lawn, select a grass or sod that requires
less water. For more information on the amount of water grasses require, check
out this site.
Also, make sure that your grass has enough top soil to grow healthy roots.
Your grass will be more resistant and require less water.
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- Use Mulch
- Using bark or some kind of mulch around plants will trap moisture in the
soil. This will allow you to water plants less.
- Showers
- I know many people like long showers, but if you can cut them short you
will save water. If you can stand not having the water running all the time,
buy a shower head that has a cut off. If you need the water running, get a
shower head that uses less water. All shower heads should have a water guide.
- Toilets
- If you are installing a new toilet, buy a water efficient toilet. Or buy
the new toilet style which has two different flush cycles. If you don't want
to replace your toilet put a brick or 1/2 gallon milk jug filled with water
in the tank. This will cause the toilet to flush with less water.
- Laundry
- If you are doing a small load of laundry, select a smaller load size. Also,
only use the extra rinse cycle when needed.
- Sinks
- Don't leave the faucet running when water is not needed. Many people will
run the faucet while they are brushing their teeth. This wastes about 1 to
2 minutes of water each time. Wet the brush, turn off the faucet, then turn
it back on at the end. If doing dishes by hand, don't let the rinse water
run as you wash.
- Use a Broom
- Don't use the hose to wash off a driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom instead.
This can save around 70 gallons of water per time.
- Cover Pools and Spas
- Having a cover on pools and spas will prevent evaporation.
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