Ways To Conserve Water

Submitted To: Ma’am Taiba Tariq

Submitted By: Fatima Hadia

Roll No. : 25

Course Title : Water Resource Management

Department : Env. Sciences(iv)

Dated : 18-02-2019

G C WOMEN UNIVERSITY SIALKOT.

Water Conservation in the Home:

The most effective way to save water is to upgrade to efficient fixtures. But there
are other ways to help reduce the amount of water we use at home.

Toilets:

Don’t Use the Toilet as an Ashtray or Wastebasket:

Every time we flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue, or other small bit of trash,
you’re wasting gallons of water. Put them in the garbage, or better yet, recycle.

Put Plastic Bottles or a Float Booster in Your Toilet Tank:

To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of
two plastic bottles. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank,
safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster.
This may save ten or more gallons of water per day. Be sure at least three gallons of water
remain in the tank so it will flush properly. If there is not enough water to get a proper flush,
users will hold the lever down too long or do multiple flushes to get rid of waste. Two flushes at
1.4 gallons are worse than a single 2 gallon flush.

Buy an Adjustable Toilet Flapper:

Installing an adjustable toilet flapper will allow for adjustment of each per flush
use; the user can adjust the flush rate to the minimum per flush setting that achieves a single
good flush each time.

Install Composting Toilets:

Composting toilets are the most effective way to cut water waste from your
bathroom since they require no water at all! Better still, they keep all the nutrients and pollutants
out of waterways and make them available for use in non-food landscapes. Check codes in your
area to be sure they’re legal before installing one. Read our article about composting toilets to
find out if they’re right for you.

Laundry:

Use Clothes Washer for Only Full Loads:

With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 5
gallons (20 liters) for the extra rinse. For partial loads, adjust water levels to match the size of the
load.

Consider a High Efficiency Washing Machine:

The most efficient washing machines use as little as seven gallons per load,
compared to a whopping 54 for a traditional washer. A high efficiency (HE) washer should
easily pay for itself over its lifetime in water and energy savings. New Energy Star rated washers
use 35 – 50% less water and 50% less energy per load. If you’re in the market for a new clothes
washer, read our article about water-saving frontload washers.

Shower:

Install Water-Saving Showerheads, Shower Timers, and Low-Flow Faucet Aerators:

Long showers can use five to ten gallons every unneeded minute. “Low-flow”
means it uses less than 2.5 gallons per minute. You can easily install a ShowerStart, or add a
ShowerStart converter to existing showerheads, which automatically pauses a running shower
once it gets warm.

One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then
turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water. You
can also install a simple shower timer, available from Eartheasy or your local water utility.
Water Conservation in the Yard and Garden ... Outside Your Home

Don’t Run the Hose While Washing Your Car

Clean the car using a pail of soapy water. Use the hose only for rinsing; this
simple practice can save as much as 100 gallons when washing a car. Use a spray nozzle when
rinsing for more efficient use of water. Better yet, use a waterless car washing system; there are
several brands, such as Eco Touch, which are now on the market.

Use a Broom, Not a Hose, to Clean Driveways and Sidewalks

Blasting leaves or stains off your walkways with water is one way to remove
them, but brushing with a broom to first loosen the dirt and grime will decrease your water use
and save you time in the long run.

Cover Swimming Pools to Reduce Evaporation

pools can lose an inch or more of water each week to evaporation. Temperature,
humidity, wind, and the way the pool is situated can all affect how quickly water evaporates. To
save thousands of gallons of pool water each season, get a cover for your pool.

Check for Leaks in Pipes, Hoses, Faucets and Couplings

Leaks outside the house may not seem as bad since they’re not as visible. But they
can be just as wasteful as leaks indoors. Check frequently to keep them drip-free. Use hose
washers at spigots and hose connections to eliminate leaks.
Reuse Wastewater Where Possible
“Grey water” is the water draining from your house’s sinks, bathtubs, and laundry
machine, which can be used to water plants (as opposed to “black water” from toilets, which
needs to be treated).

You can harvest grey water in a small way with a bucket in your kitchen or
shower, or install a grey water system, which reroutes water from your drains to your landscape.
Though not yet legal everywhere, codes are changing to allow more people to take advantage of
this source of otherwise wasted water. The simplest systems harvest only water from the washing
machine, which can add up to thousands of gallons per year. If you use grey water in your
landscape, be sure to use only eco-friendly and plant-based soaps and cleaners in your home so
you’re not dousing your plants with industrial chemicals.

Fig-2: vegetable garden

Vegetable Garden

Maintain Your Irrigation System

 If you use an irrigation system, check that it’s operating correctly toward the
beginning and end of each season. Clear any visible clogs, and adjust the settings according to
the needs of your plants and the time of year. Plants will need less water in cooler weather and
more in hotter weather, and correct settings will not only save water but ensure that plants are
getting the right amounts. Also be sure the timer waters in the morning to reduce loss to
evaporation and prevent moisture from staying on plants overnight.

Control Weeds to Reduce Competition for Water in the Garden

Weeds use water, too! If you don’t weed, the garden invaders will take up water
meant for your plants. A good layer of mulch around your plants not only conserves soil
moisture but helps keep weeds under control.

FIG-3: Contrled water supply