Many places in the United States are now commonly facing drought conditions. This is why water conservation should be taken seriously by everyone. By reducing our individual water usage, we can help to improve and preserve local water supplies.
If you're looking to develop an effective drought plan but have no idea where to start, these tips and tricks should help.
Preserving the Water of Your Local Environment
Many activities such as lawn care, plant watering, and car washing require a lot of water. A more sustainable solution would be to find ways to do these things without wasting water.
Better Ways to Wash Your Car
Washing your car uses a lot of water, which isn't ideal during drought conditions. If you really need a clean car (or if there's debris that could damage the paint), visit a car wash that offers low water washes. Or, if you're washing at home: wet the entire car down before turning on the hose, then turn off the hose while soaping up and scrubbing. Only turn it back on when you're ready to rinse everything off.
Your Vegetable Garden Needs
Vegetables and container plants will not survive without water if you have a vegetable garden or container plants. If you have an irrigation system, make sure it's in good working order. If you have a small garden that can be watered by hand, gather rainwater or collect water from the kitchen to do as much of it as possible.
Caring for Your Lawn
Nobody wants to see brown turf, but dealing with a drought might be difficult. Consider reseeding your lawn with drought-resistant grass. This will help you save a lot of water while keeping it green. Clovers are an excellent and low-maintenance alternative, as well.
You can still water your lawn while saving water if you take a few extra minutes to check for leaks and make sure the sprinkler system is efficient. Also, overwatering should be avoided at all costs.
When watering trees, keep in mind that the roots go quite a distance underground. Don't put the water source too close to the trunk; much of the water will be wasted. If you water further away from the tree's base, the water is more likely to reach its roots and be absorbed by them.
Efficient Pool Maintenance
The pool's filtration system, as well as the skimmer and water vacuum, are the most effective strategies to conserve water both in and around the pool. This will cut down on or eliminate the need to empty and refill the pool.
It's also a good idea to cover the pool when it's not in use with a reflective canopy. This will not only cut down on the need for cleaning, but it will also prevent water from evaporating away. Keep an eye on your autofill valve; if it sticks open, your pool will continue to fill after it reaches its ideal water level. Every month, a broken autofill valve can waste up to 10,000 gallons of water.
A snug cover will help to keep the water clean for longer if you are using an inflatable pool that does not have a filtration system. The water can be used for your garden or lawn when the pool must be emptied. If chlorine was used in the small pool, make sure some of it has evaporated before watering your garden.
Reducing Your Home's Water Usage
There are several things you can do to decrease water use in your home. Replace or repair any leaks, running toilets, or dripping faucets as a first step. Even a small leak might waste hundreds of gallons of water over time.
There are many more methods to save water once you've completed the first step. The majority of them are rather simple and easy to implement. The kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room are three areas in your home where adopting a drought plan can save the most water.
Efficient Practices for Your Kitchen
Many people waste a great deal of water in their kitchen without noticing. There are simple ways to save water, like running a dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes. If you don't have a dishwasher, use two dishpans - one for soapy water and the other to rinse.
If you must run your faucet while waiting for the water to warm, don't let it down the drain. Collect it in a bottle or a pail and use it for washing dishes, making coffee, watering plants, or mopping the floor.
The water you used to cook can be reused to water your garden. The extra nutrients will benefits your plants.
Efficient Practices for Your Bathroom
The bathroom has several water-saving options. Each time you're brushing your teeth or showering, turning off the water and using just what you need can save gallons. Bathing instead of long showers may be an option for you. If it isn't, try to take shorter showers.
If you're hoping to conserve water with your toilet, here are a few options. If you have an older model that holds more water, try placing a gallon jug of water or a brick in the tank to displace some of it. This way, less water is released with each flush. Another option is getting a dual-flush toilet; they use much less water for liquid waste than solid matter.
Efficient Practices for Your Laundry Room
The easiest approach to reduce water usage in the laundry room is to pay attention to each load of clothes. To clean the number of garments you added effectively, use the smallest-sized load possible. Don't run the washing machine if it doesn't have multiple load sizes available; instead, wait until you have a full load. If you don't need the extra rinse cycle, it's a good idea not to use it.
Your Liv Community Cares About the Environment
The proprietors of your Liv community want to reduce their environmental impact and follow green practices. They have come up with a drought plan that includes landscaping with grass and native plants that don't require much water but are still aesthetically pleasing.
Every apartment in your complex has a maintenance schedule that must be kept. Your apartment's maintenance team also follows stringent, regular, and emergency repair routines to ensure that any running toilet, leaking pipe, or dripping faucet is fixed immediately. In fact, one of the main benefits of living here is that you won't have to worry about home repairs. Simply make a phone call or send an email request, and the problem will be solved for you immediately.
To discover more about how to cope with drought in your home or learn more about our commitment to being an environmentally considerate living environment, contact us now.
