With 90 percent of states throughout the US reporting water-stress conditions as of 2009, water conservation is becoming an increasingly important issue across the country. With this in mind, choose to use water more efficiently. Doing so has a number of benefits, from decreasing water and energy consumption to saving money on utility bills. Installing the items in water conservation kits sets you on the right track to preserving this precious resource while reaping these benefits at the same time.
No More Wasting Faucet Water
Often more water is used at the bathroom and kitchen sink than necessary. The bathroom faucet and kitchen aerators included in water conservation kits install over these respective applications. Low flow faucet aerators allow only a certain amount of water to flow through the fixtures. Replacing the standard 2.2 gallon per minute (GPM) bathroom aerator with the 1.0 GPM model in a water conservation kit saves 55% more water at the faucet. Installing a 1.5 GPM kitchen aerator saves about 32% more water.
Easy Savings in the Shower
Water efficient showerheads, like low flow aerators, use less water than standard showerheads. The technology in low flow showerheads is such that comfort is not sacrificed, and no hot water is lost between the showerhead and you. Replacing the standard 2.5 gallon per minute showerhead with the low flow 1.5 gallon per minute showerhead can reduce water use by approximately 14,500 gallons of water by the end of the year. In addition to efficient showerheads, water conservation kits can include a shower timer. Knowing how much time is being spent in the shower can help reduce that amount.
Saving water in the shower has an effect on more than just household water consumption. Decreasing shower water consumption also decreases the amount of energy required for water heating. Water heating is the third largest utility expense in the average home. Installing a 1.5 GPM showerhead in place of the standard 2.5 GPM showerhead decreases the cost of water heating by approximately $78, and simply cutting showers in half can decrease water heating costs by 33 percent.
Cutting Down on Toilet Water Waste
The toilet is the single largest source of indoor residential water use in the average US home. Water use here makes up approximately 27 percent of household water use. Depending on the age of the toilet, it could use anywhere from 2-5 gallons of water with each flush. The devices included in a water conservation kit are simple to use, and effectively reduce water consumption from the toilet.
The toilet water savers that come in kits help to reduce the impact this source has on water usage and costs. The toilet displacement bag is placed in the toilet tank to decreases the amount of water used per flush by 0.8 gallons. Dye tablets in the kits are used to detect toilet leaks. Simply drop the tablets into the bowl, wait 15-20 minutes, and check for color, which indicates a leak. Another toilet water saver that can be included in a water conservation kit is a fill cycle diverter. This tool works to reduce toilet water use by half of a gallon.
Using Less Water Outdoors
Water consumption extends beyond usage indoors. It nearly doubles during the warmer months of the year due to an increase in outdoor water use, dramatically affecting water costs. An outdoor water conservation kit helps solve this problem. The soil moisture meter keeps track of the levels of water in the soil to prevent overwatering, while the rain gauge measures the amount of rainfall so the sprinklers can be adjusted accordingly. Also included in this type of kit is a spray nozzle that provides 6 spray options and a conservation wheel filled with tips for saving water.
A water conservation kit provides simple tools that will have a significant impact on water efficiency in the home. The items found in a water conservation kit can reduce water use by tens of thousands of gallons annually. In addition to water savings, the amount of energy required to heat water will be greatly reduced as well. Begin to practice water efficiency, and begin saving hundreds of dollars every year in water, sewer, and water heating costs can be realized.