5 Tips For Conserving Water In Phoenix, Arizona

Toilets Of all the water using devices in your home, toilets consume the most water.  Using your toilet as a waste paper basket for tissues, dead bugs or other small trash can waste a lot of water when you flush the garbage down the toilet.  Water efficiency of toilets has evolved considerably in the last 20 yrs. After 1994, toilets started to become much more water efficient. Pre-1994 toilets would use 3.5 to 5 gallons each time they were flushed. Toilets available today can use as little as 1.30 gallons when flushed. Water companies may offer rebates for the installation of more efficient toilets.  If you have a leaky toilet you should get it fixed. Approximately 10 gallons of water is wasted each day, in the average American household, due to leaks Faucets Fixing leaky faucets can also help in increasing water efficiency in Phoenix.  Letting the water run while brushing your teeth can waste a lot of water.  It is necessary to brush your teeth, but you don’t need to have the water continually running while you do it.  After you wet your toothbrush, turn off the water. You can fill up a glass to rinse your mouth out when you are done. When shaving, fill up the sink with several inches of water.  You can save a lot of water by rinsing a razor in water in the sink, versus letting the water run while shaving. Showers Taking a shower is typically much more water efficient than taking a bath. A bath may require the use of up to 70 gallons of water.  You can conserve even more by taking shorter showers.  A tip for reducing the amount of water used in the shower is to turn off the faucet while applying soap and shampoo. When you are ready to rinse off, turn the water back on.  Also, consider installing a newer, low-flow, showerhead. They can consume as little as 1.5 gallons of water per minute. Older showerheads may use 3 to 8 gallons per minute. Washing machines   Washing machines are another big water consuming appliance.  Before tossing something in the laundry basket, question if it really needs to be washed. A towel you have used once to dry off with after showering probably does not need to be washed. Many hotels are starting to leave signs in bathrooms requesting that customer help conserve water by re-using towels. Cutting down on the number of loads of laundry you do can help with increasing water efficiency in Phoenix.  It may also help decrease the amount of laundry you need to fold. When doing a load of laundry, it is important to select the correct load size.  You don’t want to wash a few pieces of clothes with a full machine of water. Newer front-loading washing machines tend to be much more water efficient that older ones.  Rebates may be available from your water company for installing higher efficiency washing machines. Yards A yard can consume a tremendous amount of water, particularly in the summer.  Some suggestions for increasing water efficiency in Phoenix are to pick more drought tolerant grasses, shrubs and plants. You may also want to consider practicing Xeriscaping.  This type of gardening involves the use of plants and grass that need less water.  Xeriscape gardens also require less effort to maintain.  When planting a garden, group plants according to their watering needs. This will help prevent wasting water on plants that don’t need it. Adding a layer of mulch around trees and plants can help conserve water by decreasing the evaporation of moisture.  Be sure your sprinklers are pointed towards the grass and plants and not at the sidewalks.  Try not to water when it is windy. The best time to water is in the evening or morning. There is less opportunity for water evaporation. When you are watering the lawn, try to let the water soak down into the roots.  A light spray may readily evaporate. Increasing water efficiency in Phoenix is a good thing for the planet.  It can also result in a lower water bill. By being aware of your consumption, you can make some small changes that can have a big impact.      ]]>