Last summer, Governor Newsom asked Californians to voluntarily cut water use by 15 percent as the state faced a major drought and a lack of rain over the winter has led to continued water scarcity across the state. While EcoBlock will provide residents with water-efficient appliances (e.g., toilets, showerheads) that should substantially decrease water use, what can you do to conserve now?
First, pay attention. Notice how you use water. Do you leave the faucet running while you brush your teeth and/or shave? Do you still rinse plates before putting them in the dishwasher? As you wait for the shower to heat up, could the water going down the drain be collected and used elsewhere?
Try things like turning the faucet off and on while you brush your teeth and/or shave. If that’s inconvenient, try keeping water flowing but at a lower rate. You can also take a shower at less than the maximum flow rate or not rinse before using the dishwasher (if the dishes come out meeting your cleanliness standards—great; if not, keep rinsing). Water collected from showers and sinks as they heat can be used to water plants or flush the toilet; water used to boil pasta, cook corn on the cob, steam vegetables, or prepare other types of food can be used similarly.*
Credit: Fremont Green Challenge
Irrigation, or outdoor water use, is substantial in many residential settings. This seems to be less so for the Oakland EcoBlock: most yards are small and many already have native, drought-tolerant plantings. Still, there may be ways to conserve. Irrigation systems may have leaks and overwatering may occur, especially as cooler weather and the “rainier” season arrive. It might be worth checking your physical irrigation systems as well as examining when and how your household waters plants.
Credit: Craig Boman
Leaks can waste a lot of water. You can check for leaks by accessing your water meter: if there is a period of time where no water will be used, reading the meter, waiting (an hour or more is preferable), then reading it again can alert you to leaks. If you appear to have a leak but can find no evidence of one, a toilet may be the problem. If the toilet’s flush valve does not close properly, water may flow continuously from the tank to the bowl (and be continuously replaced by the toilet’s fill mechanism). These leaks can be detected with a simple dye test.
Understanding how we use water can help us identify opportunities to conserve and get through this drought.
*Utilization of water used to rinse fruits, vegetables, beans, poultry, etc., is not recommended, primarily because of possible pathogen contamination, especially for leafy greens.
Learn more about the EcoBlock Water Team’s Water Conservation and Stormwater Mitigation Design Strategies.
Cover image credit: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
