Celebrate Earth Day this year by establishing some new water conservation habits and making some small changes to your home plumbing. Water is a precious resource, and it takes energy to sanitize it and deliver it to your home -- so anything you can do to minimize the amount of water going down the drain is a big help to the health of the planet.

Here are a few ideas to help you make a difference this Earth Day:

  • Make a plan for xeriscaping your lawn and garden -- that is, using native plant species that will grow optimally with little or no additional watering required. The best way to conserve water is to let mother nature do most of the work!
     
  • When you do need to water the plants, use salvaged water. Keeping a bucket in the shower to capture water as it’s heating up, setting up rain buckets or washing your fruits and veggies in pans of water rather than under the faucet are all ways to reclaim water that would otherwise go to waste. You can even use saved water to flush the toilet.
     
  • Challenge yourself and your family to be disciplined about running faucets. While brushing teeth, washing dishes or doing other everyday tasks, make sure the faucet is turned off as often as possible.
     
  • Get the most out of cleaning your clothes and dishes by making sure that the washing machine and dishwasher are completely full before starting a new load.
     
  • Start monitoring your water meter and bill every month, tracking your usage over time. Seeing how much water you use may inspire you to work harder to cut back, but most importantly, you’ll have early notice if your water usage spikes. This is often a sign of a plumbing leak, one of the biggest water wasters of them all!
     
  • If household appliances like your washing machine or dishwasher are due for replacement, shop for newer models that are specifically designed to use less water. Many of these models are also especially energy-efficient, allowing you to minimize your impact on the environment.
     
  • While you’re planning upgrades around the home, consider new plumbing fixtures. Installing efficiency showerheads is usually a cheap and simple DIY job, and new water-conserving toilets may help you save up to 20 percent of the water used in every flush.

If you need a hand with water-efficient plumbing upgrades or any other eco-friendly improvements to your household plumbing, contact your local experts at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing without delay at (800) 259-7705!