Let the water run as you're brushing your teeth ?

[Cujet]

For those with a well and septic system, the only waste is the tiny amount of electrical power used to pump the water.

We can quantify the costs. It's generally accepted that with a well pump and 100 feet of head, at 10c per KWH it costs 0.2 cents to pump 1 gallon per minute for an hour. Or if you take 2 minutes to brush, about 0.006 cents.

Of course, there is a cost to heating the water if done so with the most expensive method possible, electric power and you use hot water. 70c to electrically heat a 50 gallon tank from 50 to 140 degrees. There is then some dilution and significant initial loss with such low flows. Maybe a penny or two to heat the water?

 

[Triple_Se7en]

If your teeth are sensitive to cold water, buy Sensodyne toothpaste.

The real waste of water is the lack of ALL shower-heads having an off-lever built in. So much water gets wasted when I lather-up twice during a shower.... first time upper half of my body - 2nd time lower half.

All municipalities should make this a mandatory requirement on all homes.

 

[pottymouth]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
If your teeth are sensitive to cold water, buy Sensodyne toothpaste.

The real waste of water is the lack of ALL shower-heads having an off-lever built in. So much water gets wasted when I lather-up twice during a shower.... first time upper half of my body - 2nd time lower half.

All municipalities should make this a mandatory requirement on all homes.


Maybe these same municipalities should mandate showers only every other day, and how much time you get. How wasteful to lather the top and bottom half of your body separately. I say two minutes is plenty.

My head is shaved so I don't use extra water washing hair. I think you should be forced to shave your head too, in the interest of water conservation.

 

[xshoex]

I take 10 minute showers at night and i run the water while brushing my teeth so i can get water warmed up to wash my face (dont shower in the morning before work).

Water Bill $15 a month

 

[totegoat]

I use warm water in the Waterpic but don't leave the water running when brushing.

 

[RedOakRanch]

50% of the world's population doesn't have reliable running water so I say run it if you have it! Where I live in CA the city waste water goes back into the aquifer and I don't ever feel guilty for consuming electricity (solar) so I don't see it as wasting water. In fact with all the water conservation now most water treatment plants have to add clean water to the effluent to lower salt levels, so use that extra gallon of water a day.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: supton
I dunno, my well pumps water from one corner of the yard, and it all eventually gets dumped into another corner.

Only a small percentage of water from the surface works its way down to the water table. I can assure you that about zero percent of the water that hits the surface or even the water in your drain field works its way to the water table.

water in underground supply = valuable resource. Surface water = no resource.

I worked as a well driller helper and on the planning commission I did a lot of study of water resources and water table data.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: supton
I dunno, my well pumps water from one corner of the yard, and it all eventually gets dumped into another corner.

Only a small percentage of water from the surface works its way down to the water table. I can assure you that about zero percent of the water that hits the surface or even the water in your drain field works its way to the water table.

water in underground supply = valuable resource. Surface water = no resource.

I worked as a well driller helper and on the planning commission I did a lot of study of water resources and water table data.
Just where does the drain field water go?

 

[SevenBizzos]

My water costs about $7.60/1000 gallons, so that valve is shut unless it needs to be running.

 

[andrewg]

I run the water on full while I also turn the shower on and leave it running to heat up nicely. Then, after done brushing and with the shower still running, I utilize the toilet and make sure to flush twice...maybe three times if I am feeling really wasteful.

 

[tom slick]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Originally Posted By: GrtArtiste
You're in California and you have water to waste? Your water bill isn't high enough as it is?


I swear I heard that most homes in California don't pay a variable rate water bill for how much water is consumed AND water/sewage rates are lower in California than many other states.


Clovis has a tiered billing system but their water is still cheap.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: hatt
Just where does the drain field water go?

Evaporation via plants and without plants. A drain field is designed to evaporate as high a percentage as possible. Many times 100%. In other less favorable times it will spread moisture out laterally and deeper..but that will jbe temporary. Ultimately 100% will evaporate.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: hatt
Just where does the drain field water go?

Evaporation via plants and without plants. A drain field is designed to evaporate as high a percentage as possible. Many times 100%. In other less favorable times it will spread moisture out laterally and deeper..but that will jbe temporary. Ultimately 100% will evaporate.

That's not what the EPA is saying. It likely depends on where you live. If you live on bedrock your system may work differently than someone who lives on sand that's 300 ft deep.

https://www3.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/homeowner_guide_long.pdf

 

[Nick1994]

Merk, turn on both knobs for the faucet to full blast, then go under the sink and adjust the valves to your perfect temperature. That way when you're ready to rinse, you turn it on fully cold and hot at the faucet, perfect temp.

 

[yeti]

Originally Posted By: andrewg
I run the water on full while I also turn the shower on and leave it running to heat up nicely. Then, after done brushing and with the shower still running, I utilize the toilet and make sure to flush twice...maybe three times if I am feeling really wasteful.


some tongue in cheek from Andrew is always good -- or maybe it's "toasty" induced. either way, it's funny.

another one of merks "odd" threads. this, to merk, is a dilemma.where do you come up with these things, man ? keep 'em coming, as they are always funny.
have a good day.
I think i'll go and see what 'prone is up to -- can always use more laughs.

 

[hatt]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Merk, turn on both knobs for the faucet to full blast, then go under the sink and adjust the valves to your perfect temperature. That way when you're ready to rinse, you turn it on fully cold and hot at the faucet, perfect temp.
That sounds like a good idea. If your hot water isn't very hot, and therefore barely need the cold, it may not work so well if you just want cold sometimes.

 

[andrewg]

Originally Posted By: yeti
Originally Posted By: andrewg
I run the water on full while I also turn the shower on and leave it running to heat up nicely. Then, after done brushing and with the shower still running, I utilize the toilet and make sure to flush twice...maybe three times if I am feeling really wasteful.


some tongue in cheek from Andrew is always good -- or maybe it's "toasty" induced. either way, it's funny.

another one of merks "odd" threads. this, to merk, is a dilemma.where do you come up with these things, man ? keep 'em coming, as they are always funny.
have a good day.
I think i'll go and see what 'prone is up to -- can always use more laughs.


Ha ha ha...at least you got it.

I honestly don't think about it much when I brush. I do run the water...at a low flow. I don't take more than a minute our so to brush anyway. Water up here isn't much of a concern 99% of the time. And this year we've had a good snowpack.

The rest of my post was just being funny.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: skyactiv
Originally Posted By: GrtArtiste
You're in California and you have water to waste? Your water bill isn't high enough as it is?


I swear I heard that most homes in California don't pay a variable rate water bill for how much water is consumed AND water/sewage rates are lower in California than many other states.

Really? Where did you hear that? I've lived in this state since the 60's and we have always had a variable rate water bill. The rate for a certain amount of water may be relatively low, but we have an automatic flat rate charge every month even if we don't use a drop of water.

Plus the last couple of years the water companies (along with our political officials) have said we have to reduce our use. Many of us did, and then the water companies said: "We aren't selling enough water, so we aren't making enough money - so we must raise the rates." Funny how that works!

Yet some people who did not reduce their usage saw their water bill go up 5 or 6 times what they normally pay.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Never understood that people DID run the water while brushing their teeth.

paste on brush, brush teeth, turn on tap and rinse.

Most American are so wasteful on everything. Our population is about 5% of the world but we use 25% energy.

On average we use 150 gallons of water per person per day, I think Australian is using about 50 gallons a day, 1/3 of what we use.

In winter months when we have few rainy days in So Cal, I turned of sprinklers for the lawn and garden, our daily water usage per person dropped to about 25-30 gallons.

Similar to electricity, we use about 7-10 KWH a day compares with US average of about 40 KWH.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I don't know. I find it more comfortable for some reason.

In this case, I'm as nuts as you for the comfort, but I turn it off while brushing.