The Importance of Water Usage Monitoring and Conservation

Water is everywhere. It covers over 70 percent of the Earth’s surface. It also makes up around 60 percent of our bodies. Most of us have likely never struggled to access clean drinking water or have had a shortage of water to bathe in or use for household chores. If we did, the shortage was probably brief.

To many, water appears to be a resource in endless supply. However, not all of the water on Earth is drinkable or safe for human use, because it is filled with salt or contaminated with feces or chemicals. Water scarcity is a problem that is growing in severity, not only across the nation, but around the world. This is why it’s so important to take steps to conserve water usage in our homes and businesses. Read on for some tips from a plumber in Las Vegas, NV!

Water scarcity is becoming a real problem

You may not think that your home or business uses that much water—especially not when compared to major water users like the agricultural and industrial industries—but every little drop of water adds up. According to the EPA, the average American family uses over 300 gallons of water every day. If every household in the United States used water without much thought, so much extra water would be wasted every day. Think about it—that’s millions of households taking extra-long showers, running small loads of laundry and much more.

With so many people using up so much water each day, this means there is less water to go around. Changes in climate and recent spikes in pollution have resulted in more droughts and less clean water available underground and in local water sources, making water more in-demand and expensive. Every year, clean water is becoming harder and harder to obtain.

Ways to monitor and reduce your water usage

There are many easy ways to cut back on the amount of water you and your family or coworkers use each day. While the amounts may seem small at first, if everyone did these simple tasks to save water, we could save billions of gallons of water each year!

• Be mindful when using water appliances: The main way to conserve water in the home is to remain mindful of how much water you’re using and take steps to limit it as much as possible. This means you should try to take shorter showers and turn off the tap while you’re brushing your teeth. It’s also helpful to run washing machines or dishwashers only when you have a full load to maximize the water usage.
• Upgrade appliances to low-flow or water-efficient models: Old models of water appliances aren’t up to the most recent energy- or water-efficient standards that today’s technology offers. This means they are probably using a lot more water than they need to. Upgrading to low-flow faucets and toilets and replacing outdated dishwashers and laundry appliances can help significantly reduce the amount of water your household uses daily.
• Test your pipes for leaks and fix them: A small drip in the faucet may not seem like a major issue, but leaking pipes amount to thousands of gallons of water wasted each year. Testing for leaks is easy, and most fixes are really simple. For larger leaks or comprehensive leak testing, you’ll want to contact a professional plumber in Las Vegas, NV.

By doing these simple things to save water, you can both cut down on your water bill each month and help the planet by saving water for other people and for the environment.

At Orchard Plumbing, we understand how crucial water is to daily life in your home and business. We also understand how large a role functional plumbing plays in your water conservation efforts. Contact us to learn more about our comprehensive plumbing services. If you need a plumber in Las Vegas, NV, we’re ready to serve you 24 hours a day. Call today!