Making up 71 percent of the earth’s surface and 60 percent of the human body, water (along with sunlight) is arguably the most essential element to life on the planet. Yet, because of its availability, we often take it for granted or use it in ways that aren’t sustainable – as in, not good for us or for water itself. Here are four ways to improve your “relationship” with water, so you can enjoy its benefits long into the future.
- Drink more of it.
While some might argue about the exact amount of water you should drink every day, what’s not in dispute is that most Americans and Chicagoans should probably be drinking more than they do now. A general guideline is about 8 cups of water per day, which varies depending on your unique circumstances (whether you have diarrhea or are sick, whether you’ve exercised or suffer from dehydration of any kind). You can get the quantity you need in various forms other than pure water too – tea, coffee, vegetables all count. Overall, water helps you lose weight, aids in digestions, keeps your joints lubricated, and helps you flush out the body’s toxins.
Given your most plentiful and accessible source of drinking water is likely your tap, what’s critical here is that you have confidence that your water is safe and healthy. That’s where we recommend getting a free water quality analysis with us. We’ll send a technician to your home and analyze your water for contaminants and hard water deposits. We’ll show you the results and then craft a water filtration solution that best meets your needs.
Conserve it / Use less of it.
One sign of a strong “relationship” you have with water is that you don’t waste it. Not only does excess water usage cost money, it hurts the environment and creates water shortages around the country, including many parts of Illinois. The average American adult uses roughly 82 gallons of water a day. Meanwhile, the average family spends about $1,000 a year in water costs on household leaks alone, wasting about 180 gallons of water a week or about 9,400 gallons in a year. Here are some of the other ways Illinois residents waste water and what you can do about it:
- Running the dishwasher only when it’s full. That can save up to one load of dishes per week, conserving 320 gallons of water a year.
- Use products and appliances labeled with a WaterSense label. You can conserve water and save up to $380 per year in water costs.
- Don’t run the faucet when brushing your teeth. Such behavior wastes 32 gallons of water daily per household of 4.
- Reduce your shower time. Every minute you don’t use the shower conserves about 2 gallons of water.
- Use less water on your lawn. Outdoor water usage can account for more than 30 percent of a household’s water total annually. If the average sized lawn in the United States is watered for 20 minutes every day, it’s the equivalent of running a shower constantly for 4 days. Trying watering every other day.
Stop buying bottled water.
The cost of tap water is roughly .2 cents per gallon compared to bottled water, which costs $9.60 per gallon. And with the average American household buying 167 bottles annually, that means a waste of about $266/year. When you purchase bottled water, you’re also harming the environment with fossil fuels used to produce the bottles and then also recycle the bottles (if they get recycled at all). Many bottles end up polluting lakes and oceans as plastic doesn’t break down over time, hurting animal life. Bottled water also may not be any safer or healthier, as it may contain the same contaminants present in your own unfiltered water. That’s one reason why we recommend investing in a water filtration system. It will save you money over time and give you the confidence to know you’re drinking safe and clean water, which is great for your health.
Soften it, to help your appliances and your water fixtures.
Hard water with its calcium and magnesium deposits, can create unsightly buildup in your pipes, sinks, and drains over time. That means to maintain your home, you have to do more scrubbing and cleaning to get rid of the stains and may have to call additional plumbing services if your pipes get backed up more quickly. Hard water also causes issues with dishwashers, refrigerators, and washers, as it can reduce the lifespan of those appliances by 30 percent, making them to use more energy as well. For that reason, we recommend installing a water softener solution that can help you address such issues – an investment that will help your appliances last longer and mean less scrubbing and cleaning.
Conclusion
When you have a good relationship with water, you’ll save money over time, improve the environment, and, most importantly, end up healthier. That seems like a great deal for making some simple changes to both your own routine and investing in a water quality solution from us. Learn more about all our water treatment services, but make sure to ask for a free water quality analysis to get started. We look forward to seeing you soon.
