SUMMARY OF CRD RECOMMENDATIONS (added January 2016)
(see also CRD water-conservation recommendations)
- Run only full loads (washing machine)
- Shut off tap while brushing teeth, shaving, washing hands/dishes
- Use low-flush toilets, and flush less often
- Showers: Keep them short. Use bucket to capture water, re-use in garden
- Guests: Let them know these tips, ask them to keep consumption down
The Bathroom
1. Shower bucket. Instead of letting the water pour down the drain, stick a bucket under the faucet while you wait for your shower water to heat up. Or have a few buckets join you while you shower! Use the water for flushing the toilet or watering your plants. Cut your showers short. Speeding things up in the shower makes for some serious water savings.
2. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Don’t let all that water go down the drain while you brush! Turn off the faucet after you wet your brush, and leave it off until it’s time to rinse.
3. Turn off the tap while washing your hands. Wet your hands until you need to rinse, then turn the tap back on. Or keep a small plastic bowl in the sink, wash and rinse a few times, then toss the water onto your plants or use to flush the toilet.
4. If it’s yellow, let it mellow. This tip might not be for everyone, but the toilet is one of the most water-intensive fixtures in the house. Do you need to flush every time? Add a small full water bottle to your tank to reduce the amount of water used for each flush.
Kitchen
5. Save your cooking liquid. Instead of dumping that water down the drain, try draining water into a large pot. Once it cools, you can use it to water your plants.
6. Run on full only. Don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine until they’re full. Those half-loads add up to many liters of wasted water.
House
7. Fix your leaks. Whether you go DIY or hire a plumber, fixing leaky faucets can mean big water savings.
8. Choose efficient fixtures. Aerating your faucets, investing in a low-flow toilet, choosing efficient shower heads, and opting for a water-saving rated dishwasher and washing machine can add up to big water savings.
9. Grey water. Find ways to have water (other than toilet of course) go into the garden rather than the drain. Consult a plumber.
Outside
10. Gardening. Lose the lawn completely. It may go brown but will re-green when winter rains return. Plant a xeriscaped landscape that incorporates water wise ground cover, succulents, and other plants that thrive in drought conditions. Add drip watering system instead of sprinklers.
11. Install a cistern or at least rain barrels. Rainwater harvesting is a great way to keep your plants hydrated without turning on the hose or sprinkler.
12. Hey Kids! Use a kiddie pool instead of a sprinkler to help children cool off in the summer.
13. Head to the car wash. If you feel compelled to wash your car, take it to a car wash that recycles the water, rather than washing at home with the hose. Or buy a waterless car wash product.
– by Anne Parkinson