If you live in drought-plagued Southern California, you fully understand the importance of water conservation. A water-efficient plumbing system will drastically reduce your home’s water consumption.
The great thing about conserving water is you’re being environmentally conscious as well as fiscally responsible. Spending a little more now on an energy efficient plumbing system will pay for itself in the long run. This comes in the form of a lower month-to-month water bill.
The EPA’s WaterSense program has guided plumbing fixture manufacturers towards water efficiency innovation. Since 2006, the program’s water efficient products have helped conserve 2.7 trillion gallons of water.
Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re trying to conserve your home’s water usage.
TOILETS ARE YOUR HOME’S BIGGEST WATER USER & WASTER
Very few of us obsess about the intricate ways a toilet works. Perhaps we should? A WaterSense-certified low-flow toilet performs 20 percent better than the industry standard, which is 1.6 gallons per flush.
Even better, these low flow toilets are effective with just one flush. There are also duel-flush toilets on the market utilizing 0.8 gallons per flush to eliminate liquid waste but more gallons when eliminating solid waste.
CHANGE YOUR SHOWER HEAD & HABITS
Installing a low-flow WaterSense-certified shower head and changing your shower habits can drastically reduce your daily water use. These water efficient shower heads deliver fewer than 2 gallons per minute (GPM) compared to a standard head that sprays 2.5 gallons GPM or more.
Don’t worry, this low-flow head won’t detract from your shower experience. The spray doesn’t lose power just because there’s less water coming out.
That said, if you’re serious about further reducing water usage, changing shower habits are effective. This includes taking shorter showers or turning off the water when lathering up, shaving, or brushing your teeth in the shower.
UPDATE YOUR BATHROOM & KITCHEN SINK FAUCETS
At one point or another, we’ve all been guilty of leaving a faucet running while brushing our teeth or washing our face or hands. Sometimes we are also guilty of forgetting to fully shut them off, contributing to a drip that’s literally money down the drain.
Fortunately, we CAN control how much water runs through a kitchen or bathroom sink faucet. New faucets generally have a 2.2 GPM aerator. The status quo available in the nineties delivered water at a rate of 3 to 7 GPM. But there are currently faucets with low-flow aerators available at a 1.5 GPM. This type of water-efficient faucet can result in up to 32% savings.
TRENCHLESS WATER LINE REPLACEMENTS – AN ENERGY EFFICIENT UPGRADE
When a sewer line isn’t properly working, water is wasted anytime you run a faucet. use a washing machine or dishwasher, or flush a toilet. Sewer lines need to be watertight. A sewer line camera inspection can detect corroded pipes, offset pipe joints, leaks, and other problems.
Even if you believe replacing your water line can reduce your water consumption, surely the installation of a sewer line will leave a profound carbon footprint, right?
Yes and no…
Yes, a fair amount of energy will be used if you opt for traditional pipe installation. There will be some invasive excavation to remove old pipes. New trenches may be dug to lay new ones. Necessary repairs or replacement landscaping will expend even more energy.
However, trenchless sewer line replacement typically requires much less work and machinery – making it a great option for the homeowner concerned about water and energy conservation as a whole.
