Saving Water

[prd823]

Since we are in the middle of a drought here in the South would I save more water by changing my pressure from the 40/60 to 30/50? I have 82 gal tank and a sub. pump. I have never had any water problems but since it has been so dry and I have 2 houses on this and some cows too I was wondering if it would help or be more trouble than it would be worth in the long run. I am not wasteful with water but not sure how the other house does.
What opinions do you have on this??

[Ian Gills]

Will less pressure result in less water usage?

It will only result in less water usage for taking showers or watering the lawn.

The water you save could be better acheived through just being more prudent with the water you receive at the current pressure.

But then again I do not understand wells. Until I came to the US, I never thought anyone in this great country would be off the mains.

[valveman]

The lower the pressure, the less water is wasted to a leak in the system. If you have a leak, you need to fix it anyway. The lower the pressure, the less water per minute comes out of your shower head but, this may mean longer showers to wash the soap out. The lower the pressure, the less water comes out of a sprinkler but, you may have to run the sprinkler longer to get the amount of water needed for the plants. Pretty much everything else, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, etc., fill with the same amount of water no matter the pressure. They may just fill a little faster at higher pressures.

The best way to save water is to just not turn on the faucet. The pressure is just a matter of personal comfort, and may not have that much to do with quantity. Shorter showers, less irrigation, less car washing, and full loads in the dish and cloths washers may be the best way to save water.