Save Water

Whether we all realize it or not, everyone is wasting water in some capacity. Though we can't completely eliminate all water waste, we absolutely can make an impactful increase in water saved and this starts at home.

It is no secret that it costs money to have water in our homes whether we purchase it or pay the electricity to pump it from the well.

Water makes up about 75% of the globe. It is the most important substance to sustain the life unique to our planet. Whether we are watering our plants, washing our clothes, cooking or taking a long drink after a hot hike - we use it every day. Though it may seem we have an endless supply of water, we can actually only use about 2% of the Earth's water supply. This limited 2% is the only fresh water we have readily available for use. With the Earth's population expected to rise another forty percent within the next fifty years, there will be more of a demand for water than there ever was before.

Did you know that if we continue to use water as abundantly as we do now, we will have a water shortage within the next ten years? 40% of our country's rivers and lakes are polluted by factories, which destroys some of the little drinking water we do have. With our usable water supply at risk, it is especially important to conserve water within your household. You may be thinking that your home won't make much of a difference, but you have the power to make changes that will save hundreds of gallons of water every month. Each area of your household can be used as a tool to conserve water. By making these few changes you are helping our environment and lowering your own water bill at the same time.

Quick tips to stop wasting water
PLAY YOUR PART, BE WATER SMART

• Use the water carefully because in the world, the water is going to end some day.
• Look into water recycling options.
• Use water-friendly equipments.
• Install water aerators and automatic shut-off devices on faucets.
• Do not forget to close the tap while you go to sleep.

• Keep a check on house water meter before and after when water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
• Try not to play water games. Don't play too much with water in the summer.
• To reduce water use, consider replacing old equipment such as dishwashers with energy-saving devices.
• Replace faucets and sinks with Water Sense equipment.
• Avoid throwing away a water bottle with water in it.

• Use the washing machine fully loaded, not half full.
• When you drink water from a glass only take as much as you need.
• Use the final rinsed water from washing machine to water the plants.
• When washing your hands, turn the water off while you lather.
• If you have a cooler, direct the water drain to plants in your landscape.

• Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
• See a leak you can't fix? Tell a parent, teacher, employer or property manager or call a plumber.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean patios, sidewalks and driveways and save water every time.
• Water coolers require a seasonal maintenance check. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually.

• Water audit your facility to find out your recommended water use, then monitor your utility bills to gauge your monthly consumption.
• Avoid pouring out water from your drinking glass down the drain
• Make your own cycle of water in your house.
• Use the dishwasher or clothes washer only in full loads.
• Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it. Use it for your indoor plants or garden.

• Right away designate one glass or water bottle to drink water so you don't have to continue washing new cups throughout the day
• Reuse the water you use to wash the vegetables, use it to water your plants.
• Run the dishwasher only when full.
• Rinse clean dishes in a sink of clean water instead of letting the water run the entire time doing dishes.
• Regularly check for leaks. One drip every second adds up to five gallons of water used every day.

• Prefer to use a dishwasher to do the dishes!
• When doing dishes by hand, don't let the water running from the tap.
• Shut off the water while you are rinsing the dishes.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons every time.
• Clean the vegetables in a container and use the cleaned water to water your plants

• Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink so you don't have to run the water while it heats up. This also reduces energy costs
• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge.
• Re-use your pasta cooking liquid
• Save water by eating less processed food. Water is required at every stage of food production - refining, processing, canning, packaging. Eating fresh food means consuming less water, sugar, salt, preservatives and chemicals.
• Do not let the faucet run while you clean vegetables.

• Conserve water by taking a shower instead of a bath.
• Lather your hands with soap first and wash your hands instead of washing the soap down the drain.
• Conserve water by tricking your toilet. Fill a half gallon jug with water and place it in the toilet tank to use less water with each flush.
• Change out old fixtures for new efficient low-flow toilets and shower heads.

• Create savings by plugging the sink when shaving instead of running the water.
• When brushing your teeth, close the tap!
• When soaping in the shower, close the shower tap.
• Use the correct water saving button on the toilet!
• Double check that the faucet is completely off when leaving the bathroom.

• Don't go to the bathroom unless you need to go.
• Wash your hands and reuse the water for your next flush.
• Take short showers
• Toilet leaks can be silent! Be sure to test your toilet for leaks at least once a year.
• Use good old soap instead of shower gels for bathing. Gels require extra water for rinse off.

• Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there's a leak. Fix it and start saving gallons.
• If your toilet flapper doesn't close properly after flushing, replace it.
• Don't use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket.
• Consider buying a dual-flush toilet. It has two flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a full-flush for solid waste.
• Install water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.

• Drop tissues in the trash instead of flushing them and save water every time.
• Put plastic bottles or float booster in your toilet tank.
• Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and you can save 140 gallons a week.
• Take a shower for 5 minutes maximum.
• Rinse your razor in the sink.

• Share the nutrient rich fish water with your plants when you clean out the fish tank.
• Shield water pipes with insulation to ensure that water heats faster and save money by running less water while it warms up.
• Add organic matter and use efficient watering systems for shrubs, flower beds and lawns.
• Water your plants early in the morning or later in the evening because cooler temperatures mean less evaporation, saving money on water.

• Collect the rain water and use it for watering the plants.
• Adjust the lawn mower to the height of 1.5 to 2 inches. Taller grass shades roots and holds soil moisture better than short grass.
• Avoid over seeding your lawn with winter grass.
• Water your summer lawns once every three days and your winter lawn once every five days.
• Instead of using sprinters dig holes on the yard where you can have a little pond and use the water from there to water the lawn.

• Wash vehicles at a commercial car wash that recycles the water.
• Use a bucket and sponge to clean the car!
• Wet down your dog and water the plants in your yard at the same time.
• Waste not, Position sprinklers so that it waters grass and plants and not the driveway, street or sidewalk.
• Wisely position gutters so that rainwater from the roof also waters plants, grass, and trees.

• Practice drip irrigation. Drip irrigation systems deliver water directly to a plant's roots, reducing the evaporation that happens with spray watering system.
• Instead of rely on municipal water or wells (groundwater), practice capturing and storing Water by creating own ponds to capture and store rainfall for use throughout the year.
• Smart water management is not just about how water is delivered but also when, how often, and how much. To avoid under- or over watering their crops, farmers carefully monitor the weather forecast, as well as soil and plant moisture, and adapt their irrigation schedule to the current conditions.

• Growing crops that are appropriate to the region's climate is another way that farmers are getting more crop per drop. Crop species that are native to arid regions are naturally drought-tolerant, while other crop varieties have been selected over time for their low water needs.
• Dry farming do not need much irrigation. Farmers can depend on soil moisture to produce their crops during the dry season. Special tilling practices and careful attention to micro climates are essential. Dry farming tends to enhance flavors, but produces lower yields than irrigated crops.

• Compost, or decomposed organic matter used as fertilizer, has been found to improve soil structure, increasing its water-holding capacity. Mulch is a material spread on top of the soil to conserve moisture. Mulch made from organic materials such as straw or wood chips will break down into compost, further increasing the soil's ability to retain water.
• Cover Crops planted to protect soil that would otherwise go bare, cover crops reduce weeds, increase soil fertility and organic matter, and help prevent erosion and compaction. This allows water to more easily penetrate the soil and improves its water-holding capacity.

• Vegetables grown in organic fields had 30 percent greater yields than conventional fields in years of drought. In addition to keeping many of the more toxic pesticides out of our waterways, organic methods help retain soil moisture. Healthy soil that is rich in organic matter and microbial life serves as a sponge that delivers moisture to plants.
• Irrigation equipment upgrades can be costly, but there is no question that it will be worth it in the long run. The reality of an ever-shrinking water supply in the face of growing needs will become more evident, and eventually the true cost of water will emerge. The most efficient irrigation system will depend on the type of crop, the type of soil, area climate and other factors. Gravity-flow systems and irrigation systems are just two examples of possible solutions for more efficient water use. Using water flow meters can help measure and control the amount of water being used in irrigation.

• Some farmers may be inclined to set an automated irrigation schedule and let it run regardless of the weather. Adjusting irrigation systems to work in better harmony with natural precipitation takes more work, but it is an inarguable way to save significant amounts of water. There are numerous weather apps available that provide up-to-the-second precipitation reports. Using these along with irrigation systems can help save water, which will save farmers money and reduce wear and tear on systems.
• Rotational grazing is a process in which livestock are moved between fields to help promote pasture regrowth. Good grazing management increases the fields' water absorption and decreases water runoff, making pastures more drought-resistant. Increased soil organic matter and better forage cover are also water-saving benefits of rotational grazing.

• Avoiding or mitigating runoff can save millions of gallons of water over the course of a growing season. Runoff can occur due to over watering, poor soil and other factors, and in any case is a natural result of irrigation to some degree. Recycling runoff not only helps save water, it helps save entire ecosystems. Agricultural runoff typically contains large amounts of chemicals that can seep into groundwater and pollute rivers, streams and other bodies of water. The costs are significant, but so are the benefits.
• Conservation tillage uses specialized plows or other implements that partially till the soil but leave at least 30 percent of vegetative crop residue on the surface. Like the use of cover crops, such practices help increase water absorption and reduce evaporation, erosion and compaction.

• Proper soil management is a key to conserving water. It is the soil that absorbs, transmits and holds the water for crops to use and there is much a farmer can do to manipulate the nature of soil, and is especially helpful if the soil quality is compromised. Various techniques farmers may consider include conservation tillage, using compost and utilizing cover for crops. Again, what works the best to conserve water will depend on what kind of soil is being managed.

• The first step to reducing water consumption in industry is to identify current water usage. This can be accomplished be reviewing past water bills, or by undertaking a water audit. An audit establishes baseline water usage data and reveals areas in the operation with high water consumption.
• Reuse non-potable water for other operations. Water leftover from one sector of an operation can be reused for another purpose. For example, water used for cleaning can be filtered and reused for landscaping, or for cooling equipment. Another example is taking otherwise wasted condensate water from cooling towers and reusing it as "make up" water, or water that is used to replace water lost by evaporation. Even though condensate water is not safe for consumption due to a high concentration of heavy metals, it is perfectly safe for cooling tower use.

• Reduce the amount of blowdown water from cooling towers by carefully maximizing cycles of concentration. Cooling towers are often the greatest consumers in industrial operations, providing considerable opportunity for advancement. Each cooling tower cycle, wastewater high in dissolved solids leaves the tower and is replaced by fresh water. If monitored carefully, industries can significantly reduce their fresh water usage.
• Routine Checks, Installation on Monitoring, water pressure meter and water flow meter will help to identify leakage in pipes, joints or valves.

• Install Water saving Equipments - There are plenty of water Conservation equipment are available. Consider using them. Such as toilet systems, tap aerators, also replace tap from high volume to high pressure and low volume.
• Educate your employees. Build understanding in your employees why water is important and let them innovate ways to water conservation. You can announce awards in your company for identifying and innovative solutions to reduce water consumption.

• Reduce the amount of water needed for non-essential operation activities. Landscaping is a great example. By landscaping with drought-resistant, drought-tolerant, and species native to the climate, less water is lost to landscaping activities that are not inherently fundamental to the operation.
• Water Recycling - It is wrong assumption that all processes require pure drinking water (potable water) in business. We can reuse water (Non-Potable) in plant wherever possible. Let's say for fire protection, pH adjustment we can use non-potable water. Installation of cooling tower to recycle water with efficient refrigeration loop can save upto 25% of total water consumption.
• Reverse Osmosis - Consider installing reverse osmosis unit to treat water. Although energy consumed by this plant is much higher but it worth it.

• Ways to reuse Water - We can save water in Industries by Reuse Uhle-box seal water, Reuse of Centrifugal pump seal water, Reuse vacuum pump seal water, use condenser water for steam makeup.
• Retrofit existing equipment and fixtures. Setting appliance parameters to meet the minimum water requirement for usage; installing automatic shut-off nozzles to hoses; switching to high-pressure, low-volume hose nozzles; and installing water efficient sink faucets, shower heads, and toilets are several ways to retrofit existing equipment to save water.

• Replace outdated equipment with energy-efficient alternatives. Water usage is also cut by investing in equipment with water-saving technology or "dry" equipment that doesn't require water. One example is using air-cooled equipment (such as an air-cooled compressor), in place of water-cooled equipment whenever possible.
• Removing water from cleaning processes when a dry alternative is possible. Evaluating each step in an industry's cleaning procedures may reveal simple opportunities to reduce water consumption by utilizing practices that require little to no water. For example, sweeping or vacuuming prior to water-based methods could reduce water usage without infrastructure costs.

• Minimal use in Cleaning, to avoid high water consumption we can shift to electric brooms, vacuum cleaner or other cleaning devices (like squeegees etc.) in initial process. Wash equipment's as and when required than regularly. Reduce the uses of water sprinkler.
• Effluent and sewage water treatment plant - Installing and maintaining ETP (effluent treatment plant) and STP (sewage treatment plant) in industry area to treat waste water, so that it can be recycled for flush in toilet and floor cleaning.