Why Water Conservation
Water conservation is an important topic for anyone, especially homeowners. With rising water use costs and environmental concerns, homeowners should be aware of water conservation plumbing methods. Many homeowners can install indoor plumbing fixtures, which cut down water use and costs and improve water conservation. This article explores plumbing water conservation tips and helpful information for residential homeowners.
Individual residential water users can install indoor plumbing fixtures that save water. They can also replace existing plumbing equipment with equipment that uses less water. Low-flow plumbing fixtures and retrofit programs are permanent. However, you can perform one-time conservation measures with little or no cost over the life time of the plumbing conservation fixtures. In some cases, homeowners can save money over the life of the plumbing system.
In one study of The City of Corpus Christi, they have estimated that an average three-member household can reduce its water use by 54,000 gallons annually and can lower water bills by about $60 per year if they use water-efficient plumbing fixtures (Jensen, 1991). This amount saved per year has likely increased tremendously since the study was performed due to increase in water costs.
Here are some plumbing water conservation methods:
Low-Flush Toilets
Residential water demand accounts for about three-fourths of the total urban water demand. Indoor water use accounts for roughly 60 percent of all residential use. Of this, toilets (at 3.5 gallons per flush), use nearly 40 percent. Toilets, showers, and faucets combined use two-thirds of all indoor water use. More than 4.8 billion gallons of water is flushed down toilets each day in the United States. The average American uses about 9,000 gallons of water to flush 230 gallons of waste down the toilet per year. This amount is increasing each year. In new construction and building rehabilitation or remodeling, there is a great potential to reduce water consumption by installing low-flush toilets.
Conventional toilets use 3.5 to 5 gallons more water per flush, but low-flush toilets use only 1.6 gallons of water or less. Since low-flush toilets use less water, they also reduce the volume of wastewater produced. Effective January 1, 1994, the Energy Policy Act of 1992, requires that all new toilets for home use must operate on 1.6 gallons per flush or less. Toilets that operate on 3.5 gallons or more will continue to be manufactured, but their use will be allowed for only certain commercial applications through 1997. Even in existing residences, replacement of conventional toilets with low-flush toilets is a practical and economical way to save water and costs.
Toilet Displacement Devices
Homeowners can use simple every day items like plastic containers (such as plastic milk containers) to fill with water or pebbles and place in a toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush. By placing one to three containers in the tank, more than one gallon of water can be saved per flush. (Be sure that they do not interfere with the flushing mechanisms or the flow of water or contact us for more information on this method.) A toilet dam holds back a reservoir of water when the toilet is flushed. This can be used instead of a plastic container to save water. Toilet dams can result in savings of one to two gallons of water per flush.
Low-Flow Showerheads
The use of showers can account for 20 percent of total indoor residential water use. Homeowners can replace a standard 4.5 gallon-per-minute showerheads with 2.5 gallon-per-minute showerheads, which cost less than $5 each. This can result with a family of four saving approximately 20,000 gallons of water per year (Jensen, 1991). Individual preferences such as shower flow rates and pressure vary. Consider properly designed low-flow showerheads to provide the quality of service you can find in higher-volume models.
Faucet Aerators
Faucet aerators break the flowing water into fine droplets and entrain air while maintaining wetting effectiveness. The devices are inexpensive. Aerators are easy for you to install and can reduce water use at a faucet by as much as 60 percent. Despite the water savings, they still maintain a strong flow. There are also more efficient kitchen and bathroom faucets available. They use only 2 gallons of water per minute-unlike standard faucets, which use 3 to 5 gallons per minute.
Pressure Reduction
Flow rate is related to pressure; therefore the maximum water flow from a fixture operating on a fixed setting can be reduced if the water pressure is reduced. For example, a reduction in pressure from 100 pounds per square inch to 50 psi at an outlet can result in a water flow reduction of about one-third (Brown and Caldwell, 1984).
Homeowners can reduce the water pressure in their home by installing pressure-reducing valves. Using such valves can decrease water consumption in homes that are served by municipal water systems. For homes served by wells, reducing the system pressure can save both water and energy. Many homes use washing machines and toilets operating on a controlled amount of water, so reduction in water pressure would have little effect on water use at these locations.
Reducing water pressure can save water in other ways: it can reduce the likelihood of leaking water pipes, leaking water heaters, and dripping faucets. It can also reduce dishwasher, washing machine noise and breakdowns in plumbing systems. If you experience any issues after reducing water pressure, or with leaking water pipes, water heaters or dripping faucets, call Mike Wilson Plumbing at (804) 641-6570.
Gray Water Use
Gray water is any domestic wastewater that contains wash water from kitchen sinks, tubs, clothes washers, and laundry tubs. Homeowners for home gardening, lawn maintenance, landscaping, and other innovative uses can use gray water. For example, The City of St. Petersburg, Florida, has implemented an urban dual distribution system for reclaimed water for nonportable uses. This system provides reclaimed water for more than 7,000 residential homes and businesses. By utilizing this gray water, every homeowner can reduce the country’s overall water use and strain on the Earth’s natural resources.