Water Conservation 101: Simple Ways to Reduce Your Water Use at Home

Memphis and the entire state of Tennessee have been experiencing drought conditions for several years now. With rainfall so scarce and supplies of groundwater from aquifers dwindling, it is more important than ever for homeowners to conserve all the water they can. By optimizing your Memphis plumbing system not only will this reduce your monthly utility bill, it will also help preserve our local water supply and ease the load on Memphis’s municipal waste-water treatment plants. The tips below can help you reduce your daily water usage.  

Fix Dripping Faucets

A tiny drop-by-drop leak from your kitchen or bathroom sink may not seem like much, but over the course of a year it can add up to several gallons of clean water that needlessly go down the drain. Often, you can correct a drip simply by ensuring that the spigots or handles on the sink are closed tightly, but you may need to call a professional plumber if the leak persists. You can replace the fixtures with new low-flow models if they are beyond repair.

Install Flow Restrictors

Older homes often feature faucets and bathtub spigots with high pressure and flow rates, which use more water per minute than more modern plumbing fixtures. If you don’t want to replace the entire fixture, you can install flow restrictors that will help reduce water usage. You don’t even have to change your hand washing or tooth brushing habits in order to benefit from this simple modification.

Upgrade Your Toilet

Aside from your shower, your toilet accounts for the largest percentage of your daily water usage. Older toilets use several gallons per flush, which can add up to dozens of wasted gallons over the course of a single day. Also, if your toilet plumbing valves leak, a constantly running toilet can waste hundreds of gallons per day. Upgrading to a new low-flow toilet can drastically cut your water costs.

Check for Hidden Plumbing Leaks

Over the years, pipes corrode, so the older your plumbing is, the more likely you are to have hidden pinhole leaks in your pipes. If the leaks develop in your basement, crawlspace, or garage, you can visually inspect for condensation, drips, and other signs yourself. Peeling paint on walls or ceilings, mold growth, and buckling drywall can all be signs of plumbing leaks inside your walls.  

Don’t Wash Half-Loads

This advice applies both to your dishwasher and your washing machine. Even if these appliances have water-saving settings, it is more efficient to run them only when you have a full load of dishes or clothes to wash. If you absolutely need a specific item before you have enough to run a cycle, you can hand wash it, but be sure that you don’t leave the water running while you are scrubbing, and try to rinse your item as quickly as possible.

For more information about Memphis plumbing upgrades, you can consult our Ask the Expert page. To learn more about topics such as water heater repair, drain cleaning, sewer line repair, and more, explore our main site.