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Water Saving Technologies in the Kitchen/Laundry |
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Water savings in the kitchen and laundry include: | |||||
Aerator for sink faucet
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Aerators can save a significant amount of water for very little cost. One study sited a 13% decrease in use just by adding aerators. They decrease the amount of flow while increasing the pressure of the water. Aerators cost between $1 and $10 dollars. Many municipalities give these away to their customers-check with your water utility company. To install one, all you have to do is screw it on! What could be easier?
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DishwashersWould you believe me if I told you that installing a water efficient dishwasher could save you 1250 gallons of water per year? Well, it's true. Current models of dishwashers use 3-12 gallons of water per load. The average is 9 gallons per load. For best results and water savings, turn your dishes towards the water source/jets and scrape your dishes rather than rinsing in the sink and only run it for full loads. If you don't have a full load, use the rinse only or rinse and hold cycle to keep them from getting crusty before running a full cycle-it only takes 2 gallons of water which is a lot less than you use when rinsing in the sink. For more information, check out: http://www.greenerchoices.org/pcategories.cfm?pcat=appliances GO TO TOP>> |
Photo Source: Energy Star | ||||
Washing Machine
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Installing a high efficiency washer can save 8,000 gallons of water per year! This is significant not only because it's a high number but also because the washer is the second largest use of water next to toilet flushing in households. Traditional top loading washers use around 40 gallons of water per use. New, high efficiency washers use on average 40% less water than older models. Information from the Alliance for Water Efficiency shows savings of between 5,000 and 13,000 gallons of water per year depending on which model you choose.
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Gray Water/Grey WaterGraywater is water that has been used in a home anywhere except in the toilet. (Water from the toilet is called blackwater. Waste water is all water-gray and black collected from a site.) A graywater system reuses the water from the washing machine or sink to be used on plants. It can be as simple as a bucket that you fill after taking a bath or washing dishes, a hose from your washing machine that goes to plants or a complicated system that filters and pumps water to landscaping. The costs can range from nothing to $30,000. This can "save" 30,000-40,000 gallons of water by reusing what has already been used once. The biggest problem is that it may not be legal in your community. For more information: http://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/ Another more ecologically friendly way to deal with not only graywater but, wastewater and storm water as well is to use plants, soil and a septic tank all together. This is more environmentally friendly than a traditional wastewater system since it cuts out the transport of waste water to a large plant, which is usually far from the use site. Since you use plants to filter the waste water, it also provides habitat for all kinds of wildlife. This makes it great for catching snakes, lizards, bugs or for bird watching. You can use any type of plant that will grow in your area. The waste water contains nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus so you don't have to use fertilizer-it's already in the water! Since this system uses both traditionally accepted parts like a septic tank it could be easier to get approved from a legal stand point. (Even though graywater use is illegal in North Carolina, there are numerous systems like this being used totally legally in the state.)
Source: http://waterrecycling.com/flow-path
For more information on this type of system and pictures of one, go to www.waterrecycling.com. Many thanks to Dr. Hal House and his great staff for helping us with our project. GO TO TOP>> |
Photo source: http://www.greywater.com/soilb.jpgSite maintained by Carl Lindstrom contact carl@websida.com
Photo source: Originally from Home Energy Magazine Online July/August 1995 http://homeenergy.org |
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Water Meters
"Rather than being buried in the road, this is just by the sink in the bathroom. We have suddenly become hyper aware of our water usage!" quote by poster of picture.
Photo source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/2611858482_eb13946749.jpg?v=0 More information: http://epress.anu.edu.au/troubled_waters/pdf/ch02.pdf How to read your water meter sites: http://www.h2ouse.org/resources/meter/index.cfm http://www.hometips.com/articles/sunset_books/complete_plumbing/
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Do you know how to check your water meter? I don't but, I plan on learning how. Unfortunately, our water meter is outside, in the ground and sometimes covered with water. What if every time you turned on the water you could see how much you used? Would that make you more aware or more willing to conserve? Would it remind you to turn off the water while brushing your teeth? You could easily tell whether you have leaks. Water meters need to be easier to read and inside the house. Except in colder climates, in the US, water meters are outside and not generally easily checked by the people using the water! Not a good way to encourage conservation. Amazingly, most homes in Brisbane, Australia did not even have individual water meters until the 1990's! Houses only paid a flat rate to use as much water as they wanted instead of being charged for the amount of water they used. Now, they are more aware and conserve in many ways. They went from 700L per person use per day to 140L use per person per day in their recent drought cycle. What a big change! |
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CHECK FOR LEAKSLeaks are the number one water waster-water simply goes down the drain without being used! There are lots of different numbers about leaks but, here are a few:
To check and see if you have any plumbing leaks, check your water meter, make sure that no water is being used (no washing machine, dishwasher or people at home to mess this up) and check it a few hours later. If the meter changed-you have a leak.
Now for finding that leak! You can check for leaks in the toilet tank by putting food coloring in the tank (that top part which fills with water when you flush). Leave it for a few hours and if color shows up in the toilet bowl, you have a leak.
To check faucets turn the water off and put a bowl under it. If there is water or even wetness in the bowl in a few hours, it's leaking. It may not be a fast leak but, every drop counts! You should also check under the sink for wet spots in the cabinet.
Fixing leaks can be a simple fix-like putting a new part in a faucet or more complicated and costly-like replacing an old toilet. Whatever it takes, it saves you money and water in the long run. GO TO TOP>> | |||||
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