How Good Bathroom Plumbing Saves Money and the World

Around the world, finding and conserving clean water is a hot topic. In Hawaii, the discussion is just as important since we’re isolated on islands; therefore, any water not produced locally comes from the mainland. Water, or wai, is an important part of Hawaiian culture. Hawaiians have always respected water.

In addition, Hawaiians always conserved water, kept it clean, and believed it their duty to mālama i ka wai--to take care of the water. Long ago in old Hawaii, if someone were to divert water to collect more than his share from the community, such an offender could be put to death for such a serious offense.

Although no one will be put to death for wasting water today, due to worldwide problems like pollution and global warming, water conservation is more important than ever. This month we’re going to give you tips on how to conserve water, which will help the earth and your pocketbooks.

Conserve with Low Flushing Toilets

One of the many ways to conserve water is by using a low flush toilet in your household. These toilets use less water than traditional toilets by using pressure or gravity to help dispose of human waste.

Some toilets use the same force for every flush, while other models have a handle that allows you to flush using less water for liquid waste and more water for solid waste.

Low flush toilets typically use 4.8 liters of water or less per flush while regular toilets use 6 liters of water or more per flush.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, using a low-flush toilet could save $110 a year, adding up to $2,000 in savings for the life of the toilet! If your toilet is broken or old and leaky, consider replacing your toilet with a low flushing toilet to save more money on your water bill.

Check Your Shower Fixtures

Another situation that can creep up on you and cause you to waste money is a leaky shower faucet valve. Oftentimes you might not notice since, well, no one spends all day in the shower and it can be easy to miss bathroom leaks if they are quiet enough.

Although the cost of this wasted water could be anywhere from pennies to $20 a month, regardless of the cost it’s detrimental to the environment and wastes precious water that could be saved for nobler causes. Most of the time replacing certain parts can fix the leak.

Fixing Pipe Leaks

The shower isn’t the only place in which leaks can occur--it’s important to check all over your home for pipe leaks. The easiest way you can do this is to check your water meter after making sure no water is being used in the house at all.

Check the leak indicator to see if it’s moving, because if it is, you probably have a water leak somewhere in the house. You can also check the water meter and then wait two hours before checking again (not using any water for two hours, of course), and read the meter again.

If the number has changed from before, you have a leak. See if you can find a leak in the house, but if you can’t, professional help might be necessary. Keep in mind that some leaks can damage your home or valuables, so the cost of a leak can end up taking more than just money if worse comes to worst.

As Hawaiian culture has taught us, wai is a sacred resource, and it should be our kuleana to help conserve water because it’s good for the community and the world. On the plus side, it’s also good for readers’ wallets since not wasting water means less money going to utility bills and constant plumbing repairs.

Living in such an expensive state, extra dollars can help immensely! Keep an eye out for the common sources of wasted water detailed above, and make an appointment with Allens Plumbing today if you want to put an end to money-draining leaks in your home.