Helpful Tips for Having Fun in the Summer While Conserving Water
It’s summertime, which means it is time to get outside and enjoy all the benefits of summer. As many homeowners find, summer activities often require more water than usual, which can result in higher water bills and in not being water conscious.
You don’t have to abandon water conservation just because it is summer though. By all means have fun, but plan ahead and identify other ways that you can cut back water use, so that you can balance out your extra needs this season.
Here is what you need to know:
Watch Your Watering for Lawn and Garden
Look for alternative ways to water your lawn and garden, rather than just turning on the sprinkler and letting it go. Get a rain barrel and let Mother Nature help with the watering.
Reserve cooking liquid in the kitchen and use it to water plants. When you are waiting for the shower to heat up, capture the water in a bucket and use it water the plants as well.
If you have an irrigation system, watch for signs of leaks, like sunken patches on your lawn and pooling water. Use an adjustable sprinkler that can help you control how much water you need to use. As a rule, only water your lawn if it really needs it.
Outdoor Water Activities
It’s possible to have loads of fun right in your backyard without using all kinds of water. If you need a quick cool down, fill a spray bottle and mist yourself when you get too hot.
When did you last make water balloons? There is a lot that you can do with them. You can have an old-fashioned free-for-all, throwing them at everyone.
You can play dodgeball with them … or even baseball! For younger kids, make a water table to play with out of a basin and blocks. You can submerge small toys and they can splash around with their hands to retrieve them.
Extra Water Conservation Ideas
Since you are using more water during the summer, take extra steps to save water where you can in your household.
Don’t run the tap to get a cool drink of water; store a jug of water in the fridge and use a single water glass every day to reduce the dishes you need to wash.
Use the appropriate amount of water to boil food and don’t overfill pots. Use the garbage or composting, rather than running the garbage disposal.