Conservation Challenge - April
You Can Help Preserve Our Watershed
As part of our mission to protect both Lake Sammamish State Park and the lake itself, we are issuing a conservation challenge to our community. Each month, in our newsletter, we will suggest something simple you can do to lighten your load on the environment and improve the health of our watershed.
This month, as we shelter in place, we suggest something you can do right in your own home to be more green and environmentally conscious.
Earth Day is on April 18. Even if we cannot get together, there are many impactful things we can still do to help.
Challenge #1 - Conserve Water Inside Your Home
Fix Leaking Toilets and Faucets/Install Low or Dual Flush Models
This may not seem like a big deal, but leaky toilets and faucets waste a lot of water. According to EPA.gov, 10 percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day, and the average household’s leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year. To make your home more green, you need to stop the leaks; pay attention to your water bill; often the biggest sign of a leak is an unexplainable spike in your monthly statement.
Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.
Furthermore, replacing an old toilet with an ultra-low volume (ULV) 1.6 gallon flush model represents a 70% savings in water and will cut indoor water use by about 30%. Alternatively, consider purchasing a dual flush toilet or installing a dual flush converter that turns a standard toilet into a dual flush toilet, saving an average family 15,000 gallons of water each year. More water can be used when it’s needed, but for most flushes you’ll be using 70% less, adding up to some significant water savings.
Use Clothes Washer for Only Full Loads
With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 5 gallons (20 liters) for the extra rinse. For partial loads, adjust water levels to match the size of the load.If you do not already have one, consider a high efficiency washing machine. The most efficient washing machines use as little as seven gallons per load, compared to a whopping 54 for a traditional washer. A high efficiency (HE) washer should easily pay for itself over its lifetime in water and energy savings.
Install Water-Saving Showerheads, Shower Timers, & Low-Flow Faucet Aerators
Inexpensive water-saving low-flow showerheads or restrictors are easy to install. Long showers can use five to ten gallons every unneeded minute. “Low-flow” means it uses less than 2.5 gallons per minute. You can easily install a ShowerStart, or add a ShowerStart converter to existing showerheads, which automatically pauses a running shower once it gets warm. And, take shorter showers.
Opt for the Dishwasher Over Hand Washing
It may seem counterintuitive, but it turns out washing dishes by hand uses a lot more water than running the dishwasher, even more so if you have a water-conserving model. The EPA estimates an efficient dishwasher uses half as much water, saving close to 5,000 gallons each year.