The Real Top 10 Ways You Can Conserve Raleigh’s Water

With the new Raleigh water restrictions you may be frustrated by what may seem like overbearing rules.  It is important to know why the restrictions were set in place to begin with.  Raleigh sits 24 inches below expected rainfall for the year. Falls Lake, our reservoir, is four feet below its normal levels. The city has announced that if our water use continues and rainfall does not improve, the city could run out of water by January.  January!

Another Raleigh blog decided to make light of the situation, and while I can understand the need to lighten the mood, considering the $200 first offenders fine, I think it’s important to share some creative and mostly passive ways that one can save water. While some of these solutions are involved, one must consider that water problems are here to stay, our city will only grow in scale and the existing resources are stretched, even during times of sufficient rain.  You can go on ignoring the problem, or do your part to tread lightly. 

1. Water Hungry Appliances

   The Dishwasher A big water waster when not filled up for every load.  Try to fill it up all the way for a full load and don’t set it on Pots & Pans unless you have to. Laundry Washer  The other water wasteful appliance.  Think about maximizing your laundry loads- 50 Gallons are used every time you wash. When upgrading Appliances, Buy with efficiency in mind- Clothing and Dishwashers in particular, can be excessive water users

2. Turn off the Faucet

   Don’t run water while shaving, brushing teeth, cooking, or washing dishes.

3. Showers use 10 Gallons a minute

   Keep them as short as you are willing to go and install low flow shower heads.  The newer models like Water pik’s and this Revitalize“Spa Flow” Showerhead from Revitalize don’t compromise your shower just to help our water supplies.

 

4. Washing the Car

   Use a bucket of water. Hose off only to rinse. Use a biodegradable soap and do it on the lawn - maximum efficiency!

 

5. Repair Leaks

   As much as 15 gallons of water can be lost each day with a slow faucet drip. Beyond your faucets, check under the sink and then under the house in the crawlspace.

 

6. Watering Plants

   Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Chunks of bark, peat moss or gravel slows down evaporation, so you don’t have to water them as much. Since the city is keeping watering to night, we are avoiding the evaporation from the sun, the other time to watch out for is when it is windy. Wind can evaporate as much as half the water you put on your lawn.

   Don’t water your sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers so that water is focused on your lawn or garden where it belongs—and only there.

 

7. Choose Plants Wisely

   Plant a sustainable lawn and choose your plants wisely. You don’t have to plant Cacti to have a nice yard that doesn’t require watering.  Choose plants like the ones in the following list to build a sustainable lawn.  Orange County is giving workshops on building sustainable lawns, more information here.

   • Yucca gloriosa
   • Broom (Cytisus spp.)
   • Yarrow (Achillea spp.)
   • Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
   • California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
   • Blanket flower (Gailardia spp.)
   • Sedum spp.
   • Gold dust (Alyssum saxatile)
   • Moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora)
   • Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
   • Artemisia spp.
   • Lavender (Lavendula spp.)
   • Sage (Salvia spp.)
   • Iris spp.
   • Thyme spp.
   • Crocus spp.
   • Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis)

8. Toilets

   Try putting a brick or some other solid object into your toilet’s reservoir so that each flush uses less water.  If you aren’t feeling creative, try the $2 Toilet Tank Bank.  Also, be smart about how you use the toilet, avoid using it to dispose of trash and if you aren’t having guests the old adage of “letting yellow mellow” isn’t a bad one. 

   Being smart about what you flush can save you hundreds of gallons a month. Also check toilet for leaks. Put dye tablets or food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak that should be repaired.

 

 

9. Gray Water, Recycling

   “Gray water” is wastewater from facilities such as sinks, tubs, laundry, etc. Sometimes this water can be reused- I’m sure your lawn would appreciate it. Our reader, JZ had the great advice of collecting condensation from your air conditioner drainage pipe.  He said this technique yielded 5 gallons a day for a friend. So during summer months you could collect up to 150 gallons just from condensation.

10. Install a Cistern

    If you have a garden or would like to water your lawn in spite of the restrictions, there are many techniques for finding water and collecting it when it does rain. Cisterns are an easy way to take gutter water and other runoff and collect it for use later.  Art Ludwig has written a seminal book all about different techniques.  You can find the book, Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds for Domestic Supply, Fire and Emergency Use, here on Amazon

    Cisterns range in size and scale.  Many are the size of a barrel and can easily be installed at the base of the down pipe on your gutter.  Others can be installed under your home or in your yard, and able to hold thousands of gallons.  Many people are able to support large gardens or groves of water hungry trees with them.

If you have any techniques you use to save water, please share them.  We are all in this drought together and we can all pitch in to relieve the problem.