10 Ways to Conserve Water in a Drought

When you turn on the faucet there seems to be an endless flow of water that people tend to take for granted. In reality, fresh water is a scarce commodity, especially during a drought. We should always be mindful of the amount of water we waste on a regular basis and do more to conserve. Here are just 10 ways you can conserve water in a drought.

1. Don’t water lawns – Everyone loves a lush, green lawn, but we need to realize this should be a low priority when there’s a water shortage. Unfortunately, during a drought, your lawn may have to suffer.
2. Don’t wash cars – A shiny clean car should also be a low priority during drought conditions, but if you absolutely must wash it, do it on the lawn so both can benefit from the same water.
3. Shower less – People get obsessed with taking showers every day whether they really need to or not. Try limiting the number of showers you take, the amount of time you spend in the shower and share a shower when you can.
4. Hand wash dishes – Dishwashers use a lot of water, so hand wash dishes as much as possible during a drought. If you do use the dishwasher, make sure it’s completely full of the dirtiest dishes and hand wash the lightly soiled ones.
5. Less laundry – Another good way to conserve water during a drought is to cut down on laundry. Clothing worn once and not soiled can be worn again without washing. The same goes for bathroom towels that can be hung up or thrown in the drier and used again.
6. Turn off the faucet – Don’t let the faucet run unnecessarily during a drought. Turn it off while you brush your teeth, shaving or doing dishes. Put vegetable food waste in a compost pile instead of running water for the garbage disposal.
7. Keep water in fridge – Instead of running tap water until its cold enough to drink, keep it in the refrigerator. You can refill empty water bottles or use a pitcher to have a constant supply of cold water to drink.
8. Wash produce in a pan – During a drought put fruits and vegetables in a pan to wash instead of rinsing under running water. Then, instead of dumping the dirty water down the sink, use it to water plants.
9. Check for leaks – Gallons of water is wasted by leaky plumbing and faucets. Check your indoor and outdoor faucets plus the rest of your plumbing system for leaks and make repairs as needed.
10. Pee in the shower – Even though this seems gross, peeing in the shower saves on the number of times the toilet gets flushed each day. The urine also helps prevent athlete’s foot and is quickly rinsed away by warm soapy water.

If you think about it, there are lots of ways to reuse water instead of letting it run down the drain. During drought conditions you can develop good water use habits that continue even when the drought is over. These good habits will not only save water, but save you money. Remember that only 3% of the earth’s water supply is fresh water so don’t waste it.

Taken From Connect Utilities