A Handy Guide to Conserving Water at Home

Everyone knows that conserving water is important but now more than ever our stay-at-home lifestyle is using some more and more resources. Household water use is up by 21% since the onset of the pandemic so it is important to be mindful of water use and conserve as much as possible. There are small, water-conscious habits you can form at home to make a positive impact on the environment and on your wallet. Here is our room-by-room guide to save water at home:

1. In the Bathroom

The bathroom is one of the rooms that we use the most water. On a daily basis we are cleaning and bathing ourselves to the point that showers alone account for roughly 17% of water used indoors. You use about 2.5 gallons of water per minute by taking a shower, so try shaving just three minutes off your shower to help reduce your water footprint. Also be mindful of turning off the water when washing your face or brushing your teeth. Turning off the water while brushing your teeth can save 25 gallons a month.

2. In the Kitchen

A hack for saving water in the kitchen is to designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash. When glasses and dishes build up, opt to wash them in the dishwasher than by hand. It may seem counterintuitive, but washing dishes by hand uses a lot more water than running full loads in a dishwasher — even more so if you have a water-conserving model.

3. In the Laundry Room

On average, an ENERGY STAR certified washer uses 14 gallons of water per load, while a standard washing machine uses 20 gallons of water per load. Switching to an ENERGY STAR certified washer could save you about 6 gallons of water per load compared to a regular washer.

4. In the Backyard

The easiest way to conserve water outdoors is by using a hose nozzle to turn water on and off. A running hose can discharge up to 10 gallons a minute. It’s also wise to water plants at the end of the day when it’s cooler and the possibility of evaporation is lower.

For more inspiration around how to conserve water while spending more time at home, the folks at Zolo created this visual room-by-room guide.