Water Waste Concerns: Why Saving Water for Summer Months is Key

In many parts of the world, water is rapidly becoming one of the scarcer natural resources. Even in areas where water supplies are still relatively plentiful, efforts are already underway to raise awareness of water conservation needs and develop new and innovative methods to accomplish this goal.

In this post, learn why it is so critical to save water all year round, and particularly during the hottest months of summer each year. Also, discover some practical methods to reduce water waste.

How Conserving Water Saves You Money

Every drop of water that we conserve becomes available for other uses. The more water conservation effort you make each day, the less you will pay in monthly water use charges. In this way, it is possible to re-use the same water two or even three times while only paying for it once!

Read on for some great ways to effectively reduce water waste while also cutting down on your monthly water bill.

Water the lawn wisely.

There are also ways to use water more strategically that can save you additional funds. For example, by wisely choosing the times (late at night or early in the morning) and the ways you water your lawn (by making sure all the water hits the grass and not the sidewalk), you can stretch each drop and each dollar much further.

In addition, when you spot-water by hand or use a drip irrigation system, you stand to save as much as 50 percent on your outdoor water use costs.

Choose the right greenery.

You can also cut your water bill down by choosing to plant species of greenery that will thrive on less water. Some greenery does very well on a surprisingly little amount of water, which will save you time spent on care as well as funds spent on watering.

Reduce Evaporation Water Loss

Just by covering up your pool or jacuzzi, you can reduce the loss of water (and the need to refill frequently) due to evaporation. In the same way, by using a higher setting on the lawn mower, your grass will lose less moisture through evaporation in between mowings.

Wash your car sparingly.

Some car wash services use only recycled water, so if you do use a car wash service, try to select one that is water-conscious. If you wash your cars yourself, you can save on water costs by using a high-pressure hose nozzle that very quickly washes away grime and soap scum and automatically stops running when you stop squeezing the handle.

Point your gutters towards a rain barrel.

One of the newer trends in eco-friendly, sustainable living is the use of rain barrels to collect grey water. Grey water is water that is still safe to use on household and garden tasks but is no longer fit to be used as drinking water.

The best way to catch grey water is to set up a rain barrel collection system. This way, when your gutters overflow during a storm, the rain barrel can collect the water for use later on. Setting up a rain barrel collection system will save you a great deal on summer lawn watering!

How to Check for Leaks

From a leaking watering hose to a leaking toilet, the more leaks you can find and seal up, the less water you will lose and the less you will pay each month for water use.

In fact, one of the best ways to spot water loss is by watching for surprise water bill spikes. If you can't identify what the extra water was used for, there is a reasonable chance you have a new leak in need of fixing. Here are some easy ways to identify leaks that may need a plumber's attention.

Read your water meter.

If you are not sure whether there is a leak developing somewhere, one of the best ways to tell is to instruct everyone in the house to stop using the water at a set time.

First, go outside and read the water meter and write down what it says. Afterwards wait 120 minutes. Then go outside and read the water meter again. Compare the numbers. If the water meter shows that there has been water use during those 120 minutes, this is a reliable indicator that there may be a leak somewhere that is costing you more money and water loss.

Test putting dye in the toilet tank.

If you add a drop or two of food coloring to the water in your toilet tank and that color then appears in the bowl, this is a good indicator there is a leak somewhere. Your plumber can identify the precise location of the leak and perform repairs as needed.

Watch Your Taps

Sometimes a very slow drip-leak may go unnoticed by busy family members. Pick a day to do a "tap audit." Assign each family member to a room and have them monitor the tap(s) in that room for half an hour. Write down any taps that appear to have a slow drip-leak so your plumber can check the washers/seals and fix any leaks.

Check Your Well

For any home that uses a well for some or all water needs, one idea is to have everyone in the household stop using water for a 2-hour period. During that time, listen to the water pump. If it continues to cycle on and off while no water is used, there is an excellent chance that you have a leak somewhere that your plumber will need to inspect.

Once you have compiled a list of leak concerns, you can schedule a visit from your plumber to repair each one.

By understanding the many ways in which water can easily be lost and performing some simple tests to identify possible leaks or losses, you keep more of your hard-earned funds and help the planet too.

For remarkable water conservation help in your city of San Antonio, TX, call A & A Plumbing at 210-566-2665.