Top 10 Ways to Conserve Water

Celebrate Earth Day with These Ten Ways to Conserve Water

Spring has officially sprung in Charm City, and the weather couldn’t be nicer. As we start spending more time outside, getting our gardens up and running, and our lawns in tip top shape, it’s important to be aware of how we can do our best to conserve water.

Here’s a list of the top ten things you can do to save water and do your part in preserving our planet:

1. Turn off the water when brushing your teeth

Nothing feels better than brushing your teeth before bed or first thing in the morning, but this simple act can waste a lot of water if you’re not careful. Instead of leaving the water running for the entire time you’re brushing, try turning the water off after you wet the toothbrush. Once you’re done, you can turn it back on to rinse out the sink before going on your way.

2. Check for leaks

Keep finding little puddles of water under the sink, around the toilet, or around your outdoor hose? It might not seem like much in the moment—but add it up over the course of a year, and you’d be surprised how much water has been wasted. Be sure to give all your water fixtures a once-over and look for any leaky pipes, repairing them as needed.

3. Use the dishwasher instead of washing by hand

This one might seem a little backwards, but you’ll have to trust us. Washing your dishes by hand uses considerably more water than a dishwasher to clean your plates, cups, and utensils. Many newer dishwashers also have features that help conserve water, which makes the savings that much more substantial.

4. Save the washing machine for full loads

It can be tempting to throw just a few articles of clothing into the washer when you need them, but it’s best if you wait. By holding off until you have a full load of laundry, you can save a good amount of water.

5. Don’t overwater your lawn

We all love a lush, green lawn, but overwatering can be bad news—both for the environment and your lawn. In addition to wasting precious water, a drowned yard can start to yellow, produce bare spots from stunted growth, and grow mushrooms.

6. Install a low-flow toilet

Low-flow toilets that use either gravity or pressure-assistance can reduce water usage anywhere from around one to five or six gallons PER FLUSH. Multiply that by the total number of times the toilet is flushed throughout the year, and it’s easy to see the type of impact low-flow toilets can have on water conservation.

7. Avoid long showers

A cool shower after a warm summer afternoon (or a hot shower when you first wake up) is a nice way to treat yourself, but you should try to limit it where you can. If every American cut their average shower time by a minute or two, we could save hundreds of billions of gallons of water each year.

8. Install low-flow aerators on your faucets

Low-flow faucet aerators for your kitchen and bathroom fixtures do a surprisingly good job at conserving water. These devices are simple, effective, easy to install, and should only set you back a few bucks.

9. Water your plants with a watering can

Instead of using your hose to douse your garden, try filling up a watering can instead. Not only will this help you avoid wasting excess water, but the smaller spout can help you direct where the water goes more efficiently and effectively.

10. Be aware of your water usage

Ultimately, the best way to cut down on your usage and conserve water is to monitor how much of it you’re using. Check your monthly statement when it arrives and set a goal to either reduce it each month, or to stay below a certain threshold.

With just a few tweaks to your behavior and a couple of inexpensive purchases, you can make a meaningful difference and join society’s collective goal of conserving water. And if you’re ever unable to fix a leaky faucet or pipe, Prime Plumbing can help. Save time, call Prime!

Want to get more involved this Earth Day? You’re likely to find fun and festive events taking place all weekend—including the Blue Water Bash on Sunday, April 24. Hosted by Blue Water Baltimore, this annual event for the nonprofit dedicated to restoring the quality of Baltimore’s rivers, streams, and Harbor will have live music, food, wine, and more!