It is no secret that water is essential to life as we know it. The human body is made up of 60% water. At least 346,000 gallons of water are used by people in the United States every day. On average, men should consume at least 13 cups or three liters of water each day. Women need to drink at least nine cups or 2.2 liters. Because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified more than 2,100 contaminants in tap water in each region of the country, taking care to filter and conserve fresh water is crucial. A big part of this is installing one of the appropriate water management systems that is available. There are other things you can do to save water at home and at your business.
- Check all of your plumbing for leaks. Leaks happen in buildings of all sizes and shapes. The main problem is not that these leaks are inevitable in most, if not all, plumbing systems but that they can go undetected for long periods of time. Every part of your plumbing system is vulnerable to leads. That includes your sprinkler heads, faucets, toilets, ice machines and any part of the piping. Nearly 200 gallons can be lost every day to one leaky toilet. The first step you should take in trying to save water is to have your system checked for leaks and then fix any you find, It is also the most cost effective thing you can do for your plumbing system.
- Find and install water equipment that is more efficient. Most people balk at the idea of having a new heating, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) system but as expensive as that may be, it will end up paying for itself. For businesses, nearly 40% of the water usage can be traced back to an inefficient HVAC system. If you are interested in water conservations, switching out the HVAC system is something you should at least look into. Replacing older units with Energy Star rated products will result in a big reduction in your energy bill.
- Make all of your water fixtures the low flow versions. One way to improve your water management system is to look for low flow toilets and faucets. You cannot and should not expect the people who work for you or the people who live in your home to not flush the toilet after they use it. Washing you hands frequently and properly is one of the best ways to prevent yourself from getting sick so you should do what you can to encourage this. What can you do to save water? You can install dual-flush toilets (they handle liquid and solid waste differently to save water) and low flow faucets.
- Pay close attention to your landscaping. There are things you can do with your landscaping to make it use less water. First of all, if you live in a dry climate such as much of California or Arizona, put in plants that do not need as much water. Do the watering you need to do at times of the day when it will have the most impact like in the early morning or late at night. When you water in the middle of the day, a lot of that water evaporates and does not even reach the roots of the plants you are trying to water.
- Have a system installed to make use of storm and rain water. Some water management systems will make better use of the water from storms. These water management systems take run off from the roofs or parking lots and reuse it for the toilets and the landscaping. Good water filtration systems can make that water drinkable.
Having clean water is important enough to invest in the best water systems for your business and home. Home water treatment and in home water purification systems have become a lot more common as people want to filter out some of the chemicals that cities put in the tap water such as chlorine. From installing great water management systems to watering your lawn at the right time of the day, water conservation is possible for everyone.
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