Have you ever stopped to think about what happens to all the clean water that goes down your drain when you wash your hands or brush your teeth? It unfortunately (and unnecessarily) ends up mixing with raw sewage and becomes contaminated. This newly contaminated liquid/sludge then makes its way to either a waste treatment plant or septic tank. We often forget that water is a precious resource that gives us life - try to stay mindful of where your water is going while running water – turn it off when your toothbrush or hands are not under the faucet.
How many gallons per minute (GPM) does your faucet release? You can usually find out by looking along the rim of your faucet where the water comes out. Sinks typically use about 2.2 gallons of water per minute and if you’re not careful you can easily use over 4 gallons every time you brush your teeth.
Green Sink Products & Ideas
1) Faucet Attachments: easy ways to reduce your sink's GPM
a. Attach the Sink Faucet Aerator to your sink to reduce your GPM to 0.50. You just twist it onto your faucet. It only costs $1.50.
b. The EZ Faucet sink attachment is a touch-free infrared sensor faucet adaptor. Your sink will turn on and off automatically when an object triggers the sensor. And as a nice side bonus it helps reduce germs from spreading. Cost is $60. But it will eventually pay for itself because this is a great way to reduce your water bill! Or consider the Miscea touch-free sink which can release soap as you wash.
c. Conserve energy and water with the Solis Faucet, a sensor activated, solar-powered faucet that uses 0.50 gallons per minute.
2) Toilet Lid Sink: Use the clean water from the tank in your toilet to wash your hands. This space saving product from Gaiam has a built in soap dish and an automatic shut off system. Installation is easy and the cost is $90. It’s a pretty neat product and will certainly become a popular conversation topic if you get one.
3) Check for leaks: If you’re not careful a leaky faucet can easily waste 20 gallons of water per day. Keep your sink maintained and make sure your washers are nice and tight.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Water Usage & The Sink
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There is no such thing as a little drip. A leaky faucet with a drip of just 1/16 of an inch in diameter (about this big –o–) can waste 10 gallons of water every day. You can turn off that drip by replacing worn washers or valve seats with the help of your parents. The silent leak. Even worse than the careless hand on the faucet is the silent toilet bowl leak, probably the single greatest water waster in homes. A leak of one gallon every 24 minutes—an average amount—totals 2.5 gallons per hour or 60 gallons per day! To check your toilet for a leak, place a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait. If the color appears in the bowl, then there’s a leak. Often these leaks can be fixed with a few minor adjustments, cleaning calcium deposits from the toilet ball in the tank, or by replacing worn valves.
Cheers,
Len
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reduce water usage
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