Water as a Common Commodity: 5 Ways to Conserve

If you are reading this, you may be interested in water! Whatever umbrella that may fall under be it water conservation, water quality, water recreation, or a combination of these, I am sure you know that this resource is precious. I would like to share five simple actions and thought processes that you can build into your day to be more water-conscientious. 1: Keep a pitcher of cold water in the fridge (and keep it full!) to avoid the typical “I am going to stand in front of this faucet with one finger in the water waiting for it to get cold” song and dance. We have all been here, but planning ahead is one of the most effective methods humans have for making a difference. 2. Be smart about water your lawn or garden. If possible, collect rainwater in a barrel to use when watering potted plants or washing off outdoor tools. If this is not of interest to you, please watch your local weather forecast and only water when your plants truly need it. Nature is a hardy being that can handle more than you would think! Being aware of the physical properties of your plants will help clue you in to signs of drought. 3. Related, but if you do absolutely need to use a hose or sprinkler for a prolonged period of time, do so in the early morning or evening and keep the water source close to the ground. Watering outside of the ‘high heat’ window will reduce the amount of water that is lost to evaporation and will give the plant roots more time to soak up the goods. To keep the water close to the ground, use a hose with holes poked in it strung around your yard or garden to imitate drip irrigation rather than the sprinkler systems that spray water into the air. Much of that water will evaporate or mist off before it even hits the soil. And for the love of all things good, make sure you are not watering the roads or sidewalks, they truly do not need it. 4. This one may seem counter intuitive, but car wash facilities are better at conserving water than you are with a hose in your driveway! These wash bays you can find at most gas stations have water reclaiming or water recycling systems that separate out the dirt and grime that comes off of vehicles and reuses the water multiple times. 5. Finally, and if you can tolerate it, turn the shower water off while you are shampooing, shaving, or scrubbin’ in general. I have found that a decent tolerance to temperature fluctuations may give you an upper hand with this tip, but I encourage everyone to give it a try. Personally, I have no problem spending a few minutes of each shower slightly chilled because it gets me going in the morning and starts my day off with a dose of stewardship! Alternatively, there are shower heads that are manufactured with lower flow or more ‘misty’ spray volumes that can reduce your water consumption while bathing.