Photo credit:
Randy Son of Robert, flicker
While drizzle "ravages" L.A., and pundits bicker over the severity of California's drought, I'm busy doing what I always do: nagging my kids to quit Bogart-ing the shower, the sink and the hose.
One minute the dry spell is "the worst in modern history," prompting a state declaration of emergency and fines and higher H20 bills for water hogs. The next minute, it "doesn't look too bleak." Huh? I can't keep up with the controversy, but I can police my brood's violation-worthy thirst for agua.
How? By drying up our household water consumption with an extra hand from something my oldest just learned to read—a clock. We're also sipping (and scrubbing) light, with a blend of these SuperEco tips and a clever cheat sheet we picked up from the La Habra Children's Museum. You can too. If you're not surprised how much water you're (probably) wasting, I'll be surprised!
| Task | Water Hog | Water Miser |
|---|---|---|
| Shower | Water running, 30 gallons | Quick lather, rinse and squeegee, 5 gallons |
| Bath | Filling to the top, 40 gallons | Filling halfway, 15 gallons |
| Brushing teeth | Tap running, 10 gallons | Wet, brush and rinse with the tap off, 1/2 gallon |
| Washing hands | Tap running, 2 gallons | Half-filling the sink to quick-wash, 1/2 gallon |
| Flushing the toilet | Regular tank, 7 gallons | H2O-conserving tank, 2 gallons |
| Handwashing dishes | Tap running, 30 gallons | Wash and rinse in a dishpan or sink, 5 gallons |
| Automatic dishwasher | Full cycle, 15 gallons | Short cycle, 7 gallons |
| Washing clothes | Top water level, 40 gallons | Minimum water level, 25 gallons |
| Shaving | Tap running, 20 gallons | Half-filling the sink, 1 gallon |
Of course, these conservation comparisons are merely approximations. They vary depending on the size of your household appliances and fixtures (and appetite for the wet stuff).
What doesn't have to vary is your family's water use. Whip out the trusty timer and keep this cheat sheet handy, and you'll be on your way to lower water bills, not to mention bathing in good, green karma, in no time. Put that in your bowl and gently flush it!
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The only item that concerns me here is the handwashing one. Proper handwashing is just the best and easiest way to lower the risk of disease transmission. Washing your hands in a standing bit of water without a final rinse doesn't seem all that hygienic. Ideally, we'd have one of those sensor faucets that only releases water when you put your hands under them. That way, you only use water to wet your hands and you can scrub the 30 seconds with soap without the water running, and then put your hands under the faucet to rinse off.