10 Water Saving Tips That Will Also Save You Money

I’m from a country where water saving technologies have been in place for as long as I’ve stood on that barren, sunburned land. Duel flush toilets, low-flow shower-heads and water harvesting technologies were not part of drought interventions but just a way of life. As progressive as San Francisco and the state of California are, they are somewhat behind the times on water saving technology.

However, all is not lost, a recent article in the LA Times has reported that California has about one year left of water supply. As a result state, city and county governments are implementing a bunch of great water saving rebates. This might be the only time in the history of San Francisco where you can actually afford to forgo those hung-over trips to the Laundromat and get yourself a brand-spanking-new water efficient washing machine and do the laundry in the comfort of your own home with the moral fortitude of knowing you are doing your part.

But wait there’s more you say? Hell yeah. San Francisco is offering up to $500 in cash rebates to residents who are looking to update both their washing machines and toilets to more water efficient models. This is great for those of you here that are both fiscally and environmentally conscious. Not in the market for a new shitter? Hound your landlord or property manager and get them on board. Toilets, in particular, account for one third of indoor water use, the average toilet uses 3.5 gallons of water with every flush. If you were to replace it for a HET (high efficiency toilet) that uses 1.28gpf you could save yourself 500 big ones and make San Francisco a more water conscious city one toilet at a time.

State and city governments are doing their part in making residents more environmentally aware but its also up to us to change our water consumption habits.

Here are ten easy changes to make that will help save water around the home:

1. Your shower takes forever to heat up? Use a bucket to catch the cold water, and then water that ‘herb’ garden I know you have.
2. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, shaving, lathering or whatever it is you do in there.
3. Check all faucets for leaks and drips (a faucet that leaks 60 drops a minute, will waste 192 gallons of water per month.)
4. When washing dishes, fill the sink with hot water, rather than leave the tap running.
5. Spilled a bag of ice on the floor, whilst drunkenly making Manhattans? Put it on your plants.
6. When doing laundry only wash full loads.
7. Replace your shower-head to a more water efficient rated head.
8. Forgo your sinks garbage disposal, Compost that shit!
9. Save that bathtub for romantic endeavors. A full bathtub is 70 gallons of water.
10. Shower with your loved one, the girl next door, a distant cousin or whoever really, and time yourself. Keep it under five minutes fellas, it’s a great excuse for a quickie.

Tuolumne River.  One of SF’s water sources.

I have many vices and I am aware that many of these vices will be adversely affected with this impending lack of water. My biggest fear is that one-day, when all the water runs out there will be no more beer, and I don’t know about you, but even if I could find a way to survive without water, I couldn’t live without beer, not even for a day. Wanna save your beer supply, get cold hard cash and do something that will help our current water crisis? Check out this link.

photo from LA Times

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