Being Water Efficient in the Home

The media has extensively covered the growing grass roots movement concerned with energy efficiency in the home. The recent nuclear disaster in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan has lead Germany to discontinue its nuclear energy program and focus more on home energy efficiency. European governments have implemented programs to buy back energy generated by homes with solar panels. More and more people are looking at ways to reduce electricity consumption in the home because they recognize the dangers of global warming.

Less well documented is the impending shortage of fresh water. We might live on the blue planet but less than 1% of the water is accessible and not saline. Water is running out faster than oil supplies. Already 66% of all fresh water supplies are taken up with irrigation. As the world population grows, this percentage will increase. At present 1 in 8 people have no ready access to fresh water. At the same time the average home in the United States uses 260 gallons of water a day. This is far too high; and will soon be too expensive.

In the home 35% of water consumption is taken up with toilets, faucets and showers. A leaky faucet alone can waste 20 gallons a day. It is not difficult to reduce water consumption in these areas. Modern toilets have different flush settings to reduce water use. An easy way to reduce faucet water use is to install faucet aerators. They mix air with water to cut down on water flow without reducing spray strength.

Similarly low flow shower heads mix air with water to reduce GPM (gallons per minute) from 5 to 2.5 or even 1.5. The aerated water has a spa effect improving the skin and circulation. The best low flow shower heads feel better than normal showers – there is no reduction in water pressure – and clean just as well as inefficient traditional shower heads. The Oxygenics range of low flow showers are recommended.

So start to prepare for the inevitable rise in water utility prices and help the environment by addressing the waste from toilets, faucets and showers. It requires action that is not expensive and that will save you money in the long run.