Image: addisongreen.info

Maintaining yards and swimming pools is especially challenging once temperatures soar into the 90s and beyond. Still, some common sense practices can help strike a balance between keeping things nice around the house and being a good steward of the overall environment.

What sorts of things might you try to save water during the year’s hottest months?

Here are just a few:

• When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• Check you sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
• Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full.
• Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead.
• Plant during the spring or fall when watering requirements are lower.
• Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks.


Image: addisongreen.info

• Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
• Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons a year.
• If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.
• Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff and allow for better absorption.
• Periodically check your pool for leaks if you have an automatic refilling device.
• When you shop for a new appliance, consider one offering cycle and load size adjustment. They are more water and energy efficient than older appliances.
• Time your shower to keep it under five minutes.
• Install low-volume toilets.
• Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass shades root systems and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.
• When you clean your fish tank, use the water you’ve drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorous, providing a free and effective fertilizer.
• Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak.
• Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
• Designate one glass for your drinking water each day.
• Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers.

Tags: dishwasher, saving water, sprinkler systems, washing machine, Water Conservation, watering lawns

Friday, May 14th, 2010 | Home & Garden, Water |