Are You Wasting Water?

How much water do you consume in your home? This is a question many of us rarely ask ourselves. On average, each person uses 80 to 100 gallons of water per day. Some people use a lot more than this – and may do so for no valid reason. All of this extra water consumption can result in higher water bills. It can also contribute to problems such as water shortages in some areas that don’t have a large freshwater supply.

All in all, wasting water is not a good thing to do. Below are just a few signs that you could be wasting water in your home.

Leaving the taps running when not in use

Do you leave the taps running while brushing your teeth or shaving? This is a clear instance of wasting water – there’s no reason to run the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving unless you’re cleaning your toothbrush/razor. 

Investing in automatic faucets could prevent you from leaving the tap running when not in use. You can learn more about these taps online. These taps could be particularly worthwhile if you have kids that like to play with the taps.

Washing half loads of laundry

Do you only wash small amounts of laundry at a time? You could be wasting water with each spin by choosing not to wash full loads. The less clothing you put in each load, the more times you have to use the washing machine to get through each pile of laundry. 

Some washing machines do have separate settings for half loads, which could allow you to use up less water in a spin. This could be an alternative to washing full loads if you’re strict about mixing certain fabrics and colors. 

Running multiple baths per day

You’re likely to use more water when having a bath than when having a shower. In fact, the average bath uses about 30 gallons of water, while the average shower uses only 17 gallons. For this reason, you should avoid having too many baths. 

A family of three people each having an individual bath could use up 90 gallons in a day. Consider switching to showers or keeping the water in the bath for the next person to use (providing it’s not too dirty) so that you’re using less unnecessary water. 

Solely using mains water for gardening

When watering plants, many of us use water straight from the tap. But what if you could use rainwater instead?

Rainwater is healthy for plants and is free. All you need is a rain barrel for collecting rainwater in. Using this water for watering your plants could greatly reduce your annual water consumption – especially if you’re a keen gardener. 

Not fixing leaks

A plumbing leak could cause your water bill to spike if not resolved quickly. Dripping taps are the most common leak that goes ignored – if you’ve currently got a leaky tap, consider hiring a plumber to get it fixed as soon as possible. Other more serious leaks from pipes and seals may not just cause your water bills to increase, but could also cause water damage and mold. Such leaks should be seen to immediately.