Whether you're mainly concerned with cutting is some information about why it's so important to cut water waste, as well as some tips for how to do this easily.

Why Water Conservation is so Important this Summer

With many areas of the country experiencing a terrible drought, and water use ramping up as the temperature rises, it's of paramount importance to be mindful of your water usage. Here are some alarming statistics that might change the way you think about water.

The United States uses 29 billion gallons of water each day, and 9 billion of those gallons come from residential outdoor water use--specifically, landscape maintenance. 50% of this water is completely wasted, usually due to overwatering.

The average American family uses roughly 320 gallons of water per day. During the summertime, this more than triples to a staggering 1,000 gallons! Some families use water more than 3,000 gallons a day, which is the equivalent of leaving a garden hose on for eight hours.

More than a quarter of water of the water use in most homes is from flushing the toilet.

Current estimates predict that the state of California will have a water shortage equivalent to the needs of nearly 12 million families of four by the year 2020. That's only four years away--the time to take action is now.

Close to 95% of water used in American homes goes down the drain.

Our nation's aging water infrastructure causes 7 billion gallons of drinkable water to leak each day. That's enough water to fill 11,000 swimming pools.

American homes use 127% more water than they did in 1950.

Easy Ways to Save Water

• Keep Your Lawn Longer-As much as people love having green lawns that are short and bright green in the Summer, this isn't natural and takes far too much water to accomplish. On the bright side, longer grass promotes a more drought-resistant yard and also reduces weeds' ability to grow.
• Take Showers, Not Baths- Did you know the typical bath uses almost 50 gallons of water? Even then, that's if you only fill up your tub once—-many bathers continually add hot water as their baths cold. An old-fashioned showerhead uses about 20 gallons of water, but installing a low-flow showerhead lets you reduce your water consumption to about 10 gallons per shower--if you take short showers, at least.
• Use your Dishwasher-Despite what you might think, for households that have two or more people, a dishwasher saves more water than washing dishes in the sink. Conservation experts recommend scraping your dishes clean, not pre-rinsing them, and then only running the dishwasher when it's full.
• Be Smart about Laundry-Today's washing machines are much more efficient, using less water and energy than models built ten years ago, but it's possible to reduce water waste even further. This is possible by only running full loads of laundry. If you have a partial amount that you must wash, adjust your washer's water levels accordingly. Also, avoid your washer's "permanent press" setting, which runs extra water during the final cycle.
• Fix Leaky Faucets-Eventually, most homes will have at least one dripping faucet. This might not seem like a big problem, but a faucet that leaks a drop per second will waste nearly 2700 gallons of water a year. Leaks get worse over time, too, so it's always a good idea to fix leaky faucets as soon as you can. Luckily, it's easy to stop leaky faucets without a plumber. DIY valve repair kits are available at most hardware stores. Consult your faucet's manual to ensure you buy the proper replacement parts.
• Turn Off your Faucets when you Brush and Shave-If you're still running the tap while you brush your teeth or shave, you should know that it can waste upwards of 5 gallons of water. Use only as much water as you need.

Conclusion

Nobody's telling you not to enjoy the warmer months, but hopefully, these statistics and tips have informed you about the importance of water conservation this Summer. Water waste is running rampant in America even though it's a simple problem to address by making a few small changes to your daily life.

For more info on this subject, call Ira Hansen and Sons Plumbing in Reno, NV today at (775) 624-8378.