Although two-thirds of the surface of this planet is covered in water, less than 1 percent of all water on earth is drinkable. According to Water Encyclopedia, 97 percent of Earth's water is in oceans that naturally contain so much salt that our bodies cannot process it, and over 2 percent of the remaining water is frozen in icebergs. Follow these tips to help conserve the water you can use.
Run the Water Less
A simple change like remembering to run your water less can have a significant impact on conserving water. Run the water in your home less daily during your routine actions, such as brushing your teeth, washing your dishes, showering and doing your laundry. According to the site EcoSimply, about 18 percent of your total home water use during occurs during bathing. You don't have to skip showers to save though. Turn off the water while you shampoo your hair until you are ready to rinse. Or cut your shower time--even showering for one minute less each day would save you about 2,000 gallons of water per year. Do not let your water run the whole time you brush your teeth. Turn the faucet on only at the beginning to wet your toothbrush and at the end to rinse your mouth. Similarly, when washing your kitchen dishes, it is only necessary to wet them at the beginning and rinse them at the end. If you wash your dishes in a dishwasher, do not run it until it is full. Wait until you have a full load of clothes in your washer before you do your laundry as well.
Fix Leaks
The Global Stewards website estimates that more than 13 percent of water in households is wasted by leaks. Check pipes, leaks and faucets in your home to see if they are leaking. Put empty bowls under your faucets when you leave your house and notice if there is any water in them when you return. Also, put food coloring in your toilet tank before you go out, and check after a while to see if any of the food coloring has seeped into your toilet bowl. According to Global Stewards, fixing a running toilet tank can save you up to 1,000 gallons each month, which conserves water and your money.
Save Leftover Water for Plants
Use It Wisely's website suggests saving water that you can no longer drink and using it to water plants. For example, if you need to run the water in your shower for a minute when you first turn it on until it reaches a comfortable temperature, put a bucket in your shower to catch this clean water. Remove the bucket when you get in the shower to wash yourself, and empty the water bucket outside in your garden after you are done showering. In a restaurant, you can pour leftover ice from your drink into a plant. In your home, reuse water you used to boil food when you wash your dishes after your meal.
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