Water conservation isn’t just about the environment; it’s also about your wallet. Why not kill two birds with one stone using these water saving tips for septic owners?
Whether you live in an area with city water and sewer or have a private well and septic tank system, conserving water can save you money and reduce the demand for ground and surface water. Here are some of our easy-to-implement water saving tips.
Why Saving Water is Good for Your Septic System
All pipes lead to your septic system. The less you push through those pipes, the less your system has to work. The less water your household uses, the less work your system has to do, the less soil saturation and the fewer bacteria loss; meaning a prolonged life for your septic system.
Indoor Water Saving Tips For Septic Owners
Take shorter showers. A four-minute shower can use 20-40 gallons of water. Keep it short. Or turn the water off in between lathers. Invest in water saving showerheads to reduce water usage.
Think before you flush. Don’t use your toilet as a wastebasket. Even so-called flushable wipes should go in the trash not the toilet. The same theory applies to that scary bug.
Go low flow. Speaking of toilets, it accounts for the majority of water usage in most homes. Older toilets can use 4-7 gallons per flush while newer models use less than 2 gallons per flush. Installing a low-flow toilet is one of the easiest ways to save thousands of gallons a year!
Fix the leaks. Repairing your leaks can save you water and big money! Before the leak grows to a flood, get it fixed! Even small faucet leaks can cost you 10 gallons of water per day.
Use the washer and dishwasher only when full. How many times have you run your dishwasher or washer when it was only half-full? You may see it is a necessity, but it isn’t.
Turn off the water. It’s simple: keep the water off when you aren’t using it. This includes while brushing your teeth, washing your face or hand washing dishes. If you don’t need it at that moment, turn it off.
Outdoor Water Saving Tips
While water used outside does not drain into a septic like household water, you are already on a water saving roll so why stop inside? Here are some additional tips for saving water outdoors.
Use a broom, not the hose, to clean your driveway. Brooms or rakes work just as well to rid your driveway of leaves, grass clippings and dirt.
Reduce or turn off your sprinklers. Ever laugh as you drive past a house with their sprinklers on in the pouring rain? Don’t be that person. Only water your grass and plants when they need it.
Plant flowers and plants that are native and adapted to your area. While those flowers are gorgeous, they may not be native to your area, which means more water use to keep them alive. Do some research and find the plants and flowers that are already adaptive to your climate.
Install a sprayer on your garden hose. A pistol-style sprayer or one with different settings enables you to control the amount of water you use. It also makes it easy to temporarily shut off the water flow in between uses and projects. With a small cost of under $20, it can save you money in the long run.
Saving water isn’t just necessary for the groundwater and the environment; it’s great for your septic system and wallet as well. For more ideas on how to conserve water, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.