These days in California, it makes sense to practice water conservation even during the rainy season. We know that drought isn’t going away, even with some robust rainfall. But before we look at water-saving tips, let’s agree that the following ideas are not meant to make anyone feel guilty. There’s no need to implement them all. For example, if you absolutely, positively can’t give up taking baths (I’m talking to myself here), there are plenty of other ways to conserve. The big idea is to become mindful of our water use and creative about how to use less. Every gallon saved is a win for our community.
As you’ll see in the tips below, water conservation efforts fit in one of three categories: abandon an activity, continue the activity but use less, and find a substitute.
Bathing
The daily bath—or shower—is a modern development. According to historians (who never lie), Queen Elizabeth took a bath only once a month. Surpassing that achievement, those who knew Louis XIV said that he took only three baths in his entire life. If you’re inspired by these royal celebrities, forgoing a bath will save you between 30 and 50 gallons. Not taking a five-minute shower means about five extra gallons in your water company’s supply.
Note that altering bathing habits doesn’t mean giving up on hygiene. One proven alternative is the sponge bath. Done correctly, the process uses less than half a gallon. The secret, according to experts (yes, there is an expert for everything) is to use very little soap. For a complete guide, check out Ole Wik’s article in Mother Earth News (www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/sponge-bath-zmaz81mazraw).
Car cleaning
If you’re willing to bathe less often, your car can also make a similar sacrifice. Indeed, these days a filthy car can be a badge of water-saving honor. But you can have a shining-looking vehicle without violating the local restrictions or driving to a car wash over the hill. Chemists have developed waterless washing products. We tested one—EcoSmart-RU—and it did a fine job of cleaning and waxing. (No promotional fee was paid for this review.)
If you prefer a slightly more eccentric car washing method, one of our informants told us that he saw a gas station patron use the window-washing squeegee to clean her entire car. The woman’s effort held up the line of petrol buyers, but it was a fun show, and her car came out spotless.
Laundry
Washing machines typically use at least 20 gallons per load, with high-efficiency models squeezing the amount down to 14 gallons. There’s even greater savings if you do your wash at the beach. While saltwater may stiffen the fabric a little, on the plus side it is a natural disinfectant.
Wearing clothes for a longer period before washing is an option worth considering. After all, who will know it if you don’t change your underwear daily. As for sheets, try airing them out in the dryer—or better, on a clothesline.
Of course, if you know of a laundromat in a water-rich town, the inconvenience of getting your things there is often outweighed by the pleasure of chatting with strangers. We found an especially lovely launderette in Bath, England.
Dishwashing
Dishwashing machines use about half the water required by handwashing. So if you got one, use it. But if you don’t have an automatic dishwasher, you can greatly reduce water usage by pre-wiping the plates and soaking them in a dishpan. Then a quick rub and rinse will do the job. (Sort of.)
Another dishwater saving plan is to cook meals with a single pot or pan. If you’re concerned that this would limit your culinary variety, check out “50 one-pan winners” in the Australian online magazine Taste.com.
If you want a more extreme way to reduce the number of dishes that need washing, adopt the Middle Eastern approach of having everyone eat from a single plate. Studies show this doesn’t have negative health consequences. (Of course, studies can show anything you want.)
And then there’s using paper plates. This is a perfect solution for folks who don’t mind that trees and water are required to make the product.
Hydrating
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, you need about 14 cups of liquid a day to stay healthy. That’s nearly a gallon (four liters). The amount varies according to gender, size, environmental temperature, overall health and physical activity. Whatever the amount that you need, you can fulfill the requirement without breaking your water budget or using any water at all.
In the 17th century, for example, beer was a common alternative to water—even among children—because untreated water often carried diseases. And don’t think that beer is just an afternoon or evening drink. When Manka’s was the most popular restaurant in Inverness, a tall glass of Pilsner accompanied their celebrated breakfast of eggs and knedliky (Czech dumplings). Whether or not beer goes well with oatmeal is still up for discussion.
If you’re not into beer, eat liquid-rich foods such as cucumbers, applies, peaches, tomatoes, and—of course—watermelon.
Peeing
Most folks urinate between four and 10 times in a day. Taking seven as the average, if you’ve got an ancient (pre-1982) toilet that requires about five gallons per flush, you’re looking at 70 gallons a day. With a typical low-flush toilet, the number is 11 gallons. Much better, but still a lot of water down the drain.
The obvious advice is to flush less often. If you do it every other time, and if you have a low-flow toilet, you’ve just rescued five gallons a day.
Unflushed urine does have a smell. To avoid that, consider recycling your liquid gold. You don’t have to go to the extreme lengths of astronauts who drink filtered urine. Here on West Marin Earth, you can collect the pee in a jar and pour it onto your compost pile. Some people use it to fertilize their plants (it’s high in nitrogen). But because urine is salty, you need to dilute it with…water. Our recommendation: Stay with the compost.
Window washing
Forgettaboutit.
If you have other ideas, we hope you’ll share them.
Murray Suid, a screenwriter, lives with his extended family on the Inverness mesa. The Suids and the McMorrows collaborate on many projects, including conserving water.