Dr. Karen Bell

Keep Liberty Beautiful

Water is so essential to our survival. To ensure we have enough clean water, we must protect our waterways. We usually pay attention to the waterways in June for World Ocean Day and during Rivers Alive.

When you think of water, you may feel that we have so much of it on earth that we do not have to worry about it. I am here to tell you that is not true. Water is an essential resource for us. We cannot live without it. People waste hundreds of gallons of water every day!

When we take the time to learn better water practices, we can all become “water savers” instead of “water wasters.” Here are several water-saving ideas from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. There are several ways that you can put into place and start your water-saving experience.

Household ideas

• Install a hot water recirculation device. By recirculating water that would otherwise go down the drain, you can save 2-3 gallons of water for each shower taken or 16,500 gallons a year per household. This may mean an average annual savings of $50 on your water bill and $40 on your energy bill.

• Never install a waterto- air heat pump or air-conditioning system. Air-to-air models are just as efficient and do not waste water.

• Install water-softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum number of regenerations required to maintain water softness. Turn softeners off while on vacation.

• Never put water down the drain when there may be another use for it, such as watering a plant or garden. For example, reuse fish tank water on your household plants. It makes good fertilizer, too.

• Verify that your home is leak-free because many homes have hidden water leaks. Read your water meter before and after two hours when no water is being used. If the meter does not read the same, there is a leak.

• Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet leaks at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year. That is money going down the drain.

• Retrofit all wasteful household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors.

• Insulate your water pipes. You’ll get hot water faster and avoid wasting water.

Laundry ideas

• Unlike your dishwasher, the amount of water your washing machine uses is adjustable, so plan loads and adjust according to the load size.

• Look for a water-saving washing machine to purchase.

• Frontload machines use less water than topload machines.

Kitchen ideas

• Minimize the use of kitchen sink disposals. They require a lot of water to operate correctly. Instead, start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing of food waste.

• Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run to get a cool glass of water.

• Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.

• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow stream of water from the faucet. Use the dirtywater to run your sink disposal, if necessary.

• Fully load automatic dishwashers. They use the same amount of water no matter how much is in them.

• Buy dishwashers with water and energy-saving options.

Bathroom ideas

• Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet leaks, the color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes. Check the toilet for worn-out, corroded, or bent parts. You can buy kits to do this, but this is essentially what the kit will do.

• Consider purchasing Low Flow toilets that can reduce indoor water use by 20%.

• Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other similar waste in the trash rather than the toilet. It is not a trash can!

• Replace your showerhead with an ultra-lowflow version to save up to 2.5 gallons per minute.

• Take shorter showers. Try a “Navy” shower: get wet, turn off the water, soap, and scrub, then turn the water on to rinse.

• Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain first and filling the tub only one-third full. The initial burst of cold water can be warmed by adding hot water later.

• Don’t let the water run while shaving, washing your face, or brushing your teeth.

For more information on conserving water, contact Keep Liberty Beautiful at (912) 880-4888 or klcb@libertycountyga. com. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook @keeplibertybeautiful or our website: keepliberty beautiful.org.