Southern Trust offers tips to reduce water consumption in Roanoke this summer

Water is truly the stuff of life, but the cost of its use – and misuse – can add up quickly, especially in the summer.

Even though Roanoke is blessed to be in the relatively rainy Blue Ridge, water is still a commodity that comes with a cost. Here are five ways to reduce water use this summer, and save money in the process, courtesy of Southern Trust Home Services.

  1. Go with the low flow. Our technicians can easily install a low-flow showerhead in your bathroom. This can reduce water usage by half. Couple that with markedly shorter showers, and the savings quickly add up.
  2. Get retro with a rain barrel. Barrels are an old-school way to capture water during rainy weather. Remove a portion of downspout, and voila, free water. It’s useful for watering plants or gardens, taking another bite off your water bill. Make one yourself out of a new trash can or find instructions online.
  3. Get loaded. Refrain from running washing machines and dishwashers unless they are full. The same amount of water will be used, regardless the load size. On the dishwashing note, a dishwasher is a more efficient and economical way to use water than hand washing.
  4. Shave water use. Don’t keep the water running while shaving or brushing your teeth. All that water down the drain is also money down the drain.
  5. Lose the lawn. A lush green monoculture lawn is a mainstay, for some reason, of American home life. It doesn’t have to be that way. Granted, they can be nice if you have pets or children, but they don’t have to be a sprawling prairie. Lawns consume untold amounts of water. Consider reducing the size of your yard by, for instance, letting any adjacent woods expand, or creating beds for plants that don’t require a lot of water. Local wildlife will thank you, as will your wallet.

Summer is all about water. It’s a great time to show respect for this important resource, and it’s also a great time to begin reducing your water bill. For more information on ways we can help you conserve water with plumbing or fixture replacements, contact our expert plumbers in Roanoke.

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