Ten ways to conserve water in your home

Water is a precious resource and even though it flows readily whenever we turn on a faucet, it’s important to conserve. Water is vital to the environment, and conserving water helps our critical ecosystems, but saving water also saves you money. You don’t have to make major lifestyle changes to conserve water in your home; there are easy ways to accomplish the environmentally friendly task.

1. Don’t flush water and money down the drain. Fix leaks promptly. It has been shown that leaking faucets and toilets account for 14 percent of all indoor water use, which can add up to 20 gallons of water per person per day. Don’t forget to check outdoor faucets, pipes and hoses for leaks too, before winter sets in.

2. Take shorter showers by setting a time limit for yourself. Also, try and be aware of the amount of water you are using by turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth and washing your hands.

3. Faucets with one-piece waterways can minimize the places that leaks can form because there are minimal joints.

4. Look for water-efficient lavatory faucets certified by the EPA’s WaterSense program. Standard faucets flow at about 2.2 gallons per minute, but some energy-efficient models have reduced flows to 1.5 gallons per minute.

5. If your toilet was installed before 1980, install a toilet dam or filled bottle to save water during each flush (make sure operating parts are not affected by these installations). Consider installing a new toilet that uses less than 1.6 gallons of water per flush.

6. When shopping for showerheads, look for models that save water without compromising the shower experience.

7. Landscaping accounts for 20 to 50 percent of all residential water use, so choose drought-resistant and low water consuming plants. Your local home extension service can be found online and can help you choose plants appropriate to your geographic region.

8. Use a landscape watering guide to calculate how long and how frequently to water your plants for optimal growth. A calculator can be found at www.wateruseitwisely.com.

9. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk and save up to 80 gallons of water each time.

10. Check out other water-saving tips by visiting Responsible by Nature at www.deltafaucet.com/green.