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Are you looking for ways to be more environmentally-friendly in your daily life? The bathroom is an excellent place to begin with water conservation, since most activities performed in a bathroom involve some form of washing or cleaning. Most people don’t realize how their showers, flushes, and tooth-brushing add up over time; making an effort to conserve water in your bathroom will cut down your water use and bill.
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  • If you like to take hot showers, you know it can take a while before the water reaches the right temperature. Collect the cold water that would ordinarily be going down the drain, and use it to water houseplants or your lawn.
  • Water-saving shower heads and toilets conserve water without a thought. The shower heads restrict the flow of water without compromising on pressure–you’ll never know the difference, and the environment will thank you.
  • Decrease your shower time. Many of us are guilty of the occasional long shower; however, if it’s normal for you to spend 15, 20, 30 minutes in the shower at a time, you are using a lot of water. A shower 20 minutes long uses about 45 gallons of water, which quickly adds up to thousands over the course of a year. Do your best to keep your showers as short as possible to save water. If you have a slow day where you aren’t sweating or getting dirty, consider skipping your shower that day. When doing activities that don’t require running water like shaving or lathering up, turn the stream off so that water isn’t going unused.
  • Don’t wait until the water is warm to plug the tub. Plug it before turning the water on–there’ll be plenty of time to adjust the temperature and have it reach your desired temperature.
  • Limit the number of baths you take. Everyone deserves a relaxing home spa day once in a while, but frequent baths will definitely cause a huge increase in the amount of water you go through in a month. For reference, one bath uses 70 gallons while an eight minute shower uses only 17 gallons.
  • Hang dry your towels for an extra use instead of washing them after only one. If you are worried they will develop a musty smell, invest in a clothesline. The fresh outside air will dry your towels and help return them to their clean, soft state.
  • Fix leaks as soon as possible. Not only are dripping faucets annoying, but those drips are wasting water and money the longer they are left. Make a point to check all your plumbing regularly so that leaks in hidden spots (like underneath your cabinets or behind toilets) are quickly noticed and repaired. One drip every two seconds adds up to about two and a half gallons of water per day! Check your plumbing for leaks regularly so that you can conserve water and save money.
  • Shut the faucet off while brushing your teeth. Essentially, water conservation comes down to not leaving water running or dripping when you don’t need it. When brushing your teeth, only turn the water on to rinse your brush or your mouth–while actually brushing, turn it off.

Water conservation habits are easy to incorporate into your daily routine, yet rewarding and good for the environment. Even if you only commit to one or two of these tips to conserve water, it’s a great first step.

Let West Coast Design Build Florida help you to design a bathroom that is functional, beautiful and energy efficient. We are Sarasota’s bathroom design experts.