How do you conserve water?

[greenrootsmama]

In just a few short months we will be moving to Arizona from Pennsylvania. Since we'll be living in a very arid climate, water conservation will be very important. I'm looking for any and all ways both to reduce our water consumption and to reclaim some of our waste water. I'm researching graywater reclamation, rainwater harvesting and aquaponics. If anyone has any other ideas that would contribute to this I would be very interested in hearing them. TIA.

 

[TanksHill]

I would take a walk through our neighborhood. Arizona has some varied climates many factors to consider. Will you be north or south and what elevation? Look at whats native, and growing around you. It will most likely be succulents cactus and rock gardens. If you are going to harvest rain water I wold put it at the top of your list. Be ready for the rain when it comes. Have your storage ready. Every year I plan rain barrels and miss the rain.

Good luck, keep us posted on your progress. Gina

There is someone around here from Az. I forget who though.

 

[sylvie]

I admire how you are researching and preparing in advance for water conservation. I have no advice but imagine the change from having ample water to watching each drop will be a challenge. Please keep us posted!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

We take a lot of water conserving measures at our place. Although we live in the greater Seattle WA area, and you would think we needn't worry, summers can be quite dry here and some communities are seeing their wells dry up. Since before we moved to our place that has a well, we started to do everything we could to be more water efficient.

We probably are most adept at conserving indoors. We both take what I've heard referred to as "navy showers". When you first face the idea of doing such a thing it seems horrific, right? Well, I've found I prefer it, because I feel I actually get cleaner (sudsing up without the water running). The other habit we have gotten into is flushing the toilet less often. . . flushing only when the contents are gross. We hope to some day switch over to some sort of composting toilet, so we needn't waste so much water every day.

We have a high efficiency washing machine and I think that helps a lot too.

I get creative about ways to re-use water. If I use water to clean lettuce or whatnot, I use the wash water to water container plants, etc. I will also use cooled pasta water on shrubs.

We conserve all year round, hoping to even out our higher use in the summer (for the garden).

As far as garden water conservation, I recently heard that the most efficient way to water is to use drip tape irrigation (different from the regular drip irrigation). This technology was supposedly developed in Israel. I have yet to locate a supplier, but it is on my list of things to do.

Rain barrels help too, but when you have a long period of drought, I think it would be wiser to look into a larger storage system, such as an underground cistern.

 

[greenrootsmama]

I'm part of a Yahoo Group for sustainable living and someone there pointed me to a website that I find to be absolutely inspiring: www.omick.net
These people are amazing the way they live and their relationship with the world around them. If I didn't have little kids I could definitely see myself living this way. In fact, I'm thinking I could get very close to this even with my kids.

 

[MyGardenHelper]

I'm in Northern California and it usually rains quite a bit here in the winter, but we've had 84 degree whether in January. And it was hot for about 2 weeks. Everything started budding, like it was spring. It finally rained last week! And we had frost We have rain barrels and I put buckets where the gutters drip. We also put a bucket under our tub/shower spout while the water is warming. It saves about 2 gallons per shower. I also have a vintage ceramic pitcher by the kitchen sink and do the same thing while water is warming up. I use that for house plants and to water the planters on the deck. We would like to get a large rain barrel (1,000 gallons). We currently have two 55 gallons. Those are almost full. My boyfriend teases me that we're going to be known as the bucket farm! When it rains, I look around for any containers to put out on the deck to catch the water. I use biodegradable soap for dishes, shower, and laundry. I use organic shampoo, but not sure if it's biodegradable. I use the dish water to water our young trees. We're looking into grey water and an instant hot water heater. Does anyone have a grey water system? If so, how much did it cost and was it easy to install?

 

[OkieJonesClan]

We have big buckets that we put in the showers to catch the water that is running while it gets warm enough to shower in. We also use the water from washing things to water plants and such and don't flush very often . . "Yellow is mellow, brown flush it down"
My kids say it often. We also don't shower or bath daily during the cold months when we aren't outside sweating and getting dirty. The only other thing I can think of is that we try to get as many wears out of our clothing as possible. If it isn't dirty and doesn't smell, hang it up and wear it another day. This saves on laundry.

 

[me&thegals]

Ditto to OkieJonesClan. Also, when scrubbing or rinsing veggies in the sink during the summer, I do it over a large bowl. All the rinse water then goes outside to water hanging baskets and planters. Also, when we run the dehumidifier in the summer, all its water is used to water flower beds under the roof overhang. Plus, navy showers, water off while brushing, not waiting for the water to warm up when washing hands, high-efficiency washing machine, fastest possible cycle on dishwasher, mulching garden to preserve moisture, handwatering plantings that are spaced out from each other (versus a lettuce patch--that would get the sprinkler). All I can think of right now

 

[enjoy the ride]

Look for good quality low flow faucets, showerheads and toilets. A lot of people have had experience with cheap ones and think they can't perform well but that is not true.
When I built my place, I especially researched a good low flow toilet and paid twice as much to get it as the contract said would do. Considering that the toilet gets more use than almost anything but maybe the kitchen faucet, it is worth getting one that actually works with the lower amount of flushes.
I do navy showers and have for years- I agree it is a much better shower than stepping out of the flow to soap up. It is best to put a shut off between the pipe and showerhead- then you can shut it off and put it back on without having to fool with the faucet handles. They are really inexpensive at any hardware store. And anyone can istall one.
I also have recently made an effort not to have the kitchen faucet running full blast with most of the water running down the drain without doing anything.
Also zone gardening is great- putting garden things that need more water together and those needing less together- then you are not wasting water on plants that don't need it while trying to get the thirsty ones watered.
Also mulch mulch mulch- along with drip irrigation.
Put metering devices with shut offs on faucets to keep from forgetting to turn off the hose- I can remember once forgetting to turn off the water while filling a watering tank- I probably wasted more water in that evening than I can conserve in a lifetime.
Homesteadmom? is in Arizona.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

ETR -- good tip about the shower shut off!