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(The Financial Literacy Blog) – According to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, a significant portion of Maine is experiencing abnormally dry conditions, with parts of Southern Maine deemed to be in a “severe drought.” Finding ways to conserve water makes environmental sense, but did you know it makes smart financial sense as well? Many municipalities have implemented rate increases on water––adding to the growing list of products and services rising in cost lately. For those not on public water, the costs of drilling and maintaining a residential water well system are not cheap. With extreme drought conditions, your well could run dry––creating several personal and financial headaches for your household.
No matter where your water is sourced from, taking proactive steps to conserve your water consumption is good for both your wallet and the environment. Here are some tips to help you save on water:
Only Run Full Loads
Washing machines and dishwashers are very convenient––saving you a lot of time and hard work. However, if used inefficiently, they aren’t helping you save water or money. If you’re only partially filling these appliances before you start them, you’ll have to run them more often. Instead, wait until they’re completely full before turning them on. This will reduce the amount of cycles you do and save you money on both water and electricity. Further, when using a dishwasher to clean your dishes, don’t pre-wash or rinse them in the sink first. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average dishwasher uses six gallons per cycle. Water flowing from a faucet averages a rate of two gallons per minute. Simply rinsing your dishes in the sink can use more water than running the dishwasher, so consider skipping the pre-wash to save money.
Don’t Let the Water Run
Do you let the water run while brushing your teeth? If so, it’s time to break that habit! The EPA has stated that leaving the water running while you brush wastes and average of four gallons each time. In a four-person household, where each person brushes twice a day, that’s 32 gallons of water wasted. If a family of four let the water run each time they brushed for a year, more than 11,600 gallons would be wasted. Not only is water going down the drain, but so is your money. The same concept applies when shaving your face or even filling up a glass of water to drink. If you’re letting the faucet run while waiting for the water to cool down, you’re wasting water and dollars. Instead, keep your drinking water in a pitcher or container in the fridge.
Fix Any Leaks
While a leaky faucet can be annoying, it can also be costly. A single faucet leaking one drop of water per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. While it may cost money to fix the leak, it can prevent future waste and reduce your water bill.
Install Efficient Shower Heads and Faucets
According to the Energy Policy Act of 1992, shower heads must have a flow rate of no more than 2.5 gallons per minute. Shower heads made before that time can spray five or more gallons per minute. If people installed low-flow shower heads and WaterSense-certified faucets, they could save a lot on their energy costs and water supply. In fact, if one in every ten American homes installed WaterSense faucets, it could save 6 billion gallons of water and more than $50 million in energy costs.
Water Your Lawn at the Right Time
It’s summer in Maine and for those with a green thumb, they may pride themselves on their lawn and garden. Healthy, thriving lawns and gardens require water. However, watering at the wrong time of day can result in more water needing to be used. At the hottest times of the day, water evaporates into the air quickly––ultimately requiring that more be used. Watering first thing in the morning and before nightfall is more efficient, as the water won’t evaporate at high rates.
Even when not in a drought, these water-preserving tips can help you save money. For other money-saving tips, contact your local credit union.
WMTW Total Money: Saving Water Can Save You Money