Reduce your water bill, and your impact on the environment with these water-saving tips:
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Use Your Dishwasher
Thanasis Zovoilis / Getty ImagesContrary to popular belief, it takes more water to hand-wash dishes than it takes to wash them in the dishwasher.
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Install a Faucet Aerator
BanksPhotos / Getty ImagesIt screws onto the bottom of your faucet to reduce water flow, without reducing water pressure. You can even get some that swivel to allow you to direct the water where you need it. Note: If you have a newer faucet, it may already have one built-in.
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Install a Point-of-Use Hot Water Heater
If you regularly need hot water for pots, dishwashing, and hot drinks, consider installing a point-of-use hot water heater (also known as an instant hot water system) under the kitchen sink. It’ll supply you with hot water as soon as you turn on the tap, and only costs a couple of hundred dollars.
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Don't Use the Disposal
Compost food waste or throw it in the trash. Both are water-free options.
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Repair Faucet Leaks
A leaky faucet can waste 1000-2000 gallons of water a year (National Sanitation Foundation).
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Check Toilets for Leaks
According to the National Sanitation Foundation, a leaky toilet can waste as much as 500 gallons of water each day! Place a dye tablet (free at home improvement stores) in the toilet tank, and watch to see if the dye seeps into the bowl. If it does, you have a leak that needs to be addressed.
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Replace Your Toilet Flapper Once a Year
Toilet flappers break down quickly and should be replaced once a year–even if they say they're good for longer. A couple of dollars spent on a replacement flapper will save you much more on your water bill.
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Place a Bottle in the Toilet Tank
Fill a bottle with water, and place it in the toilet tank. It'll displace water, and cause the tank to fill with less water. Just how much water will this save? An amount equal to the size of the bottle that you placed in the tank. A 20 oz. bottle, for example, will save 20 oz. of water per flush.
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Switch to a Low-Flow Toilet
When it's time to replace your toilet, replace it with a low-flow model that uses 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to a traditional toilet, which uses 3.6 gallons. Or, learn how to convert any toilet to a low-flow.
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Utilize Greywater
Save your cooking water, unused drinking water, and the water that comes out of your shower while you're waiting for it to warm up. Then, use it to water your plants.
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Install a Tankless Hot Water Heater
When it's time to replace your hot water heater, consider upgrading to a tankless unit (also known as an on-demand water heater). It heats water faster and only when you need it–saving water and energy.
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Water With Soaker Hoses
Use a soaker hose to water the plants in your yard, and you'll have precise control of where the water goes–and more importantly–where it doesn't.
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Choose Drought-Resistant Plants
Then, let the rain handle all of the watering.
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Sweep Sidewalks off Instead of Spraying
A little sweeping action can save a lot of water–as much as 80 gallons a year, according to wateruseitwisely.com, and it's good exercise.
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Wash Your Car Less Often
Eartheasy.com, says it takes up to 100 gallons of water to wash a car. The Environmental Protection Agency says it can take over 500 gallons. Either way, that's a lot of water to devote to car washing.
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