by Anthony Megna

Created on: May 07, 2010   Last Updated: May 25, 2012

There really are some simple ways to conserve water.  Water conservation is a hot topic today, with the revolution in green technology all over the Internet and the airwaves.  So how can we all do our part to conserve this precious resource?

Living in the desert in Las Vegas, Nevada, water conservation is a big deal here.  The water authority is forever publishing different rules and regulations about watering the lawn, and on which days one can do it.  But they have gone a step further, and they encourage converting to a desert landscape.  Since watering the lawn is a big water waster, and since water is so precious in the desert, the water authority is encouraging people to convert to the typical desert garden.  A desert garden involves plants that really know how to conserve water!  These are different cacti, as well as rock gardens that don't have to be watered.  It's actually quite nice looking, and I prefer it over a grass lawn.  I live in a condo complex, and the entire complex gets a refund from the water authority for converting to the xeriscape environment.

Other ways to conserve water are to recycle the water that drips out of the window air-conditioners.  We have all seen the water that drips out of those window units, and that water can be used to irrigate household plants.  It's actually quite clean, as it condenses from the atmosphere when heat is converted through the air-conditioning process.  It can also be used to wash the car, or to clean general purpose household items that need some cleaning.

Taking showers is much more efficient for water conservation than taking baths.  Also, we all know that shower heads can be changed to those water conservation shower heads that conserve water.  Toilets are now in the low water use mode as opposed to toilets that were manufactured twenty years ago.  They save a lot of water, and if you don't have one of those water saving toilets, it might be time for a new one.

Using the dishwasher is actually more beneficial than washing dishes by hand. Much more water is wasted by running the faucet as opposed to using the machine, and it's a common misconception that the dishwasher uses more water. For those folks that don't have a dishwasher, shutting the faucet off between washing the items will help.

These are just a few simple ways to conserve water, and there are many more.  So if you need some new ideas to save, contact your local water department where you live, or look on the Internet.  The local water department is more than happy to give you some tips on how to conserve water, and you just might see the reflection with the savings on your water bill!

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