Water Waste Concerns: Why Saving Water for Summer Months is Key

There are a lot of issues with water waste in today’s society. Hanging out in the yard with a running water hose and a sprinkler used to be the norm. However, the devastating drought in some regions of the country and issues with water pollution have created a conservation effort to decrease the amount of water that we use.

Water conservation is a great movement because it allows us to appreciate water usage and how to use water efficiently, specifically in those hot summer months.

Summer is the high season for water usage. Many areas use two to four times more water than in other parts of the year.

The biggest increase is due to activities like filling swimming pools, landscape irrigation and maintenance, and car washing. Outdoor water use can go up 80 percent in some homes during the summer. This is why it is so important to think about water usage and how to conserve water during these heated months.

There are a lot of ways that you can conserve water without ruining your summer plans or changing what you do. These are some tips to help you move forward as the temperatures go upward.

Be Smart About Water

Whether you like to wash your car by hand, or you are always cleaning out your swimming pool, there are some habits that lead to more water usage. Swimming pools have been drained in some areas of America simply because of water drought. This surely puts a damper on summer fun, but there are some ways that you can improve water conservation and still have all of the fun you want in the hot months of summer.

If you really want to cut down on your water use, you should think about getting a water purification system and think of alternative ways to maintain your landscapes.

Alternative Landscaping

There are a lot of ways that you can cut down on water costs through alternative outdoor landscapes such as using something called Xeriscape! or switching to mulch. There are also succulents and cacti that can thrive without any extra water other than the rain.

Stay Water-Savvy with Your Lawn

It’s always good to have a green lawn, but you could be contributing to water waste. Watering your lawn during cool hours of the day is important. This reduces evaporation. You also should turn the sprinklers off during rainy seasons and periods of high wind.

Setting Up Sprinklers

When you set up sprinklers, think about where the water is going first. You can set up sprinklers to only water certain parts of your lawn where you need it the most. As your sprinklers go off, look at where the water falls and check if it’s landing on a sidewalk or driveway.

Pool Covers

Water filtration systems can use more water when they have to clean the pool constantly. Swimming pools can also suffer from evaporation. You can prevent all of this with a pool cover.

Rainwater Collection

Want to legitimately learn something about water conservation? Get your family involved in rainwater collection and try to reduce your water waste even more.

You can set up a rain barrel under a gutter outside of your home, then catch gallons of water to use for your lawn or other projects around the house. You can even filter the water and use it for drinking.

You should use a fine-mesh screen on top of the barrel to keep it free of mosquitoes.

Washing Your Car

Do you wash your car by hand? If so, you can still use a self-service car wash since these types of machines use less water and try to re-use the water that they do have. High-pressure hoses and easy-to-use pistol grips make it easier to conserve water when you’re trying to get the dirt and grime off of your automobile.

Using Water for Showers

Of course, you need water for bath time! However, did you know that gallons and gallons of water can be wasted with long showers? Keep your showers under 10 minutes to conserve on water usage and get the most of your shower.

Pack Your Own Bottles

There are a variety of water bottles out there that you can buy that filter water and cut down on plastic usage as well. You can avoid bottled water purchases by filling your own bottle with purified tap water. You can save money this way as well. Before the summer months roll around, fill up as many bottles as you can with purified tap water and try to cut down on the amount of spring water that you purchase.

Some Other Tips

Did you know that setting your lawn mower blades a notch higher will lead to less evaporation? Longer grass has actually been proven to keep a substantial amount of water from evaporating. You can also use a drip irrigation system instead of a hose or sprinkler to water your gardens.

If you are thinking of changing your water systems inside and outside of your Little Rock, AR home, consider calling Arrow Plumbing at (501) 588-3200.