Drought Preparation: How to Reduce Water Use
Drought Preparation: How to Reduce Water Use
Drought is a natural disaster that occurs when there is a prolonged period of below-average precipitation in a region. Drought can have a significant impact on a community, causing severe water shortages, crop failures, and wildlife habitat destruction. In extreme cases, drought can even lead to famine and migration. Therefore, it is essential to prepare for drought emergencies to minimize its impact. In this article, we will discuss some tips on how to prepare for drought emergencies and conserve water.
Kitchen
- Run When Full: Only run the dishwasher when it’s entirely full, or use the “light wash” feature for smaller loads.
- Defrost Properly: Don’t use running water to defrost frozen items. Instead, put them in the fridge overnight to thaw.
- Capture Bucket: Use a bucket to catch water as it heats up or cools down. This water can be used for hand washing dishes, watering plants, or refilling toilet tanks.
Bathroom
- Check for Leaks: Check the toilet for any cracks or leaks, as well as the shower and bath tub. Leaks are sometimes discovered by a higher-than-expected water bill.
- Showerhead: Change your current showerhead to a low-flow shower head option to conserve water while you shower.
- Bucket: Placing a bucket in the shower to catch excess water while it’s heating up can be used to water plants or refill toilet tanks.
- Turn Off Sink: Be sure to turn off the sink when brushing your teeth, shaving, washing your face, etc. This is a simple way to reduce water use.
- Toilet: Replace your toilet with a low-flow or two-flush option to conserve water.
- Repair Drips: Dripping faucets can waste up to 2,700 gallons of water per year. Replacing the washers or tightening the bolts can save you water and money!
General Home
- Laundry: Only run the laundry when you have a full load. If you have to run a half-load, make sure to adjust your settings to use less water.
- Appliances: When purchasing new appliances, make sure you opt for the energy efficient and low water use options.
Consider purchasing the following items to help you conserve water (and save money) at home:
9.4
This handheld showerhead has six different spray settings, including rainfall and massage, and a water-saving pause function. It also has an extra-large 5-inch diameter for full coverage, is made of high-quality, rustproof materials, and can be easily installed without tools.
9.2
This upgraded showerhead has five different spray modes and an intuitive lever for easy scrolling. It is made of lightweight, durable, and rust-proof ABS plastic and has a 4.1-inch panel with 47 self-cleaning nozzles and 19 ABS nozzles for a high-pressure stream and a wide spray zone.
8.6
This rainwater collection system allows you to reuse rainwater from your roof for plants, gardens, and washing cars. It diverts filtered rainwater into a storage tank or directly to a garden, while preventing clogs by filtering out large or coarse debris.