No doubt water is one of the most important resources on the planet, and we need it daily even for the simplest things, like brushing our teeth and flushing the toilet. However, have you ever thought of how much water is wasted during those common tasks and around the house? And most of the time, without even noticing. 

Read below a few ways you could be wasting water and what you can do to save this valuable resource! 

Leaving Your Faucet Open

A mistake that a lot of people commit sometimes: leaving the tap running while doing other things. For example, it’s really common for some people to leave the faucet open while brushing their teeth or washing the dishes, but have you ever wondered how much water this short period of time can waste?

A running tap can waste around four gallons each time you brush your teeth. In a four-person household, where each person brushes their teeth at least twice per day, you can have an idea of how much that sums up by the end of the month. However, saving water can be quite easy, when all you need to do is to close the tap. 

Inefficient Toilets

Newer toilets offer more efficient systems that use much less water to flush, compared to older models. In order to save water, some even offer two different types of flushing; one is called a soft flush, using a small amount of water, and the other is specific to flush solids, using more water in the process. That way, you won’t do a full flush when there is no need.

Leaks

Leaks around the house are a really common problem for homeowners, and while it may go unnoticed or ignored sometimes, it can cost you a lot by the end of the month. For example, a leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year.

If there is any leaky faucet or shower at your house, or even a case of a toilet leaking from the base, call out for plumbing repair services. Ignoring the minimum leaks can increase the wastewater without even noticing the size of the problem.

Overwatering The Lawn

If you’re used to taking care of your lawn regularly, then you know just how important your sprinkler system is. However, keep in mind that you should avoid overwatering your lawn, not only to save on your water bills but also to keep your grass healthy. 

The excess water can prevent the traffic of oxygen to the grass, consequently harming it and sometimes even causing its death by suffocation.

You obviously should water your grass, but only the correct amount, just enough for keeping the soil moist. Otherwise, it’ll unfortunately only be worse for your grass and a waste of money on your water bills

Watering During Day

And since we’re talking about the lawn, even though it's common to water the grass during the day, this is not the best option. When irrigating the lawn during the day, the water easily evaporates, drying the grass and spending even more in the process.

To avoid using more water than necessary, it's recommended to turn on your sprinkler system at night. That way, the water has a slower rate of evaporation, giving the grass time to absorb it and continue the correct photosynthesis process.

Long Baths in Shower

Everyone likes taking warm and comfortable showers, but did you know how much water you waste in a single bath? In general, the average American shower uses approximately 2.1 gallons per minute. So even if the change is small, taking shorter baths during the day would help as well.

Avoid flushing paper down the toilet

Another topic that can bring out issues for you and your house. Besides using way more water than it should, treating the toilet as a trash can indeed can cause problems, especially in the plumbing, like clogs, blockages, toilet leaking, or equipment damage

This habit may be a tradition in some areas, but it’s not recommended at all, even if your toilet’s strong enough for it.

Running the Washing Machine With Just a Few Clothes

A washing machine is an appliance that actually uses a lot of water, and most of the time this water is not reused as it could be. In general, a common washing machine usually uses approximately 19 gallons per load, which can result in a considerable number of gallons of water by the end of the year.

Therefore, running a full cycle on the washing machine for just a few pieces of clothing can be a huge waste of water and it can even increase your machine’s required maintenance. It’s recommended for you to completely fill the machine for a load instead of running it with few clothes.

Running a Half-filled Dishwasher

This is another appliance that is not recommended to use while not completely full. It’ll only waste water, in addition to risking breakage of your dishes. If you’re constantly running your dishwasher only half-filled, it’s recommended for you to hand-wash more, which would use less water and reduce the risk of breaking the dishes.

Old Fixtures and Appliances

Since technology has been changing so fast these past years, it has also influenced home fixtures and appliances. Modern low-flow faucets and shower heads reduce water flow by as much as 30 percent while keeping the same pressure.

Here’s another example,

An old model of washing machine usually uses approximately 40–45 gallons each load, while a newer model uses 10–25 gallons per cycle. It’s certainly one of the most efficient ways to save water at home.


A local plumber can help you look for leaks as well as change your appliances and fixtures for more modern, water-efficient options.

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