Mark your calendars because March 22 is National World Water Day and part of Fix a Leak Week. To join in the festivities, we thought it would be valuable to lift the veil and uncover some truth about water consumption. For starters, the average household spends roughly $500 a year on water and sewer but could save more than $170 per year by following water-saving practices. Here are some of the most effective ways to slim down your water bill while always protecting our planet.
Shower faster
We’re not saying to skimp on showering altogether – trust us, you’ll thank us later for saying that – but we do suggest decreasing the time spent in the shower. Showering accounts for nearly 17 percent of indoor residential water use. This is a number that could be decreased significantly. On average, a single person uses more than 25,300 gallons of water every year, which is approximately 70 gallons daily. Showers are roughly five gallons of water per minute. Simple math would show that by cutting your shower by even two minutes would eliminate 10 gallons of water being wasted daily. Instead of perfecting your karaoke jams while showering, reserve your solo concert practice for another time.
Re-examine your appliances’ efficiency
Furthermore, making sure that your shower is outfitted with an eco-friendly fixture is also beneficial. Showerheads, along with faucets, faucet accessories and toilets, that are efficient and environmentally friendly are branded with a WaterSense label.
An even bigger use of indoor residential water is toilets. Toilets account for nearly 30 percent of indoor water use. This is because most toilets are inefficient and using far too much water. A recent study showed that most toilets use six gallons of water per flush. Federal standards require toilets to use 1.6 gallons per flush. This is a significant amount of water being wasted numerous times a day. By outfitting your bathroom with a low-flushing toilet you can reduce water waste up to 60 percent and save more than $140 a year.
It’s time to fix that leaky faucet once and for all
When we think of water waste, long showers and leaving the water on while brushing our teeth comes to mind. Although, leaky faucets may be a bigger problem than we thought. In a recent survey dripping faucets were pinpointed as a huge area of concern in terms of water conservation. The EPA found that 10 percent of homes have water leakage problems that cause them to waste more than 90 gallons of water a day. Each year the EPA hosts a Fix a Leak Week where homeowners are encouraged to curb their water waste by swapping out old faucets and fixtures for those that are more eco-friendly and environmentally conscious. Join in the worldwide effort of water conservation by getting a check-up on your water pipes and indoor plumbing. Let Finken do this for you, we look forward to your call!