i have two 55 gallon rain barrels. i also have 5 gallon buckets under all the eaves and around my raised garden beds to catch rain water. we follow the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow. if it’s brown, flush it down” rule. toilets get flushed every 3rd time. undrunk contents of glasses and cans don’t go doen the sink – they go on the plants, as well as any coffee left in the pot. my washer machine drains out to a garden bed – we’ve gotten some great tomatoes, beans and greens out and they don’t seem to have many pests. (we use environmentally safe soap)

The rain barrel is the best if you have the appropriate home site. Think liquids=water, fruit & veg. juices, etc are great to water outside plants as well as dish soap and such, just be mindful of salt if it has been added. Coffee and tea are also great.

When I wash my face at the bathroom sink, I stopper the drain and collect just enough water for rinsing my face. I reuse the water and washcloth to wipe the sink clean before draining it.

I capture rain water in a barrel to water my garden. The city water…I use the dirty used water to wet down my compost barrels. I turn off the water during showers, brushing teeth and even washing hands. This will also lower your utility bills. I use a new front clothes washer and have cut my usage by 3K per month Yea!!! Everything helps, just retrain your habits for the sake of this beautiful EARTH!

I haven’t “caught” my wasting water, though, I do turn water off when washing my hands and brushing my teeth. I’m going to do what bpel1020 is doing, catching wasted water in plastic milk jugs. Good idea.

Or use it to flush the toilet instead of using good clean water!

I keep plastic milk jugs by the kitchen sink and bathtub so when someone is waiting for the water to heat up, we catch that water in the jugs and use that for our house and garden plants. It’s especially helpful in the summer when using outside water is banned.

If it’s yellow, lrt it mellow.
If t’s brown, flush it down.
After 11 months, our water cosumption is down 7%.

i have young children.. 3 nights a week they take a bath but dont use soap .. the next day we water the plants with it

I like the pan in the sink idea. Watering outside plants is too. I will start doing this today.

When I am doing canning there is a lot of washing vegetables through several rinses. I always carry this water out to water all my hanging baskets since they need water almost daily in the hot weather.

I am so good at wasting water! I prerinse and then hand wash my dishes. I will do better!!

I wash all my dishes in a pan in the sink, with environmentally soap. I use it later on my lawn to help water.