Turn off water while soaping

The latest recommendation is to spend at least 20 seconds scrubbing when you wash your hands.  Greenmatters.com author Carly Sitzer points out that a lot of clean water rushes down the drain during those 20 seconds.  She reports that "on average, leaving the water running for the full 20 seconds while scrubbing, you may be wasting about a quarter of a gallon (0.2 - 0.3 gallons on average) each time you wash your hands."*  Multiply that times the 10 or so times per day that you wash your hands, and that adds up to a lot of water.  To reduce water waste, turn off the faucet while you are scrubbing your hands. She also suggests installing a water aerator on faucets with a high flow rate, such as in the kitchen.
 
*Carly Sitzer, April 1, 2020. Shutting Off the Faucet While Washing Your Hands Could Save Gallons of Water Daily.  https://www.greenmatters.com/p/water-conservation-hand-washing

Photos by Susan O'Donnell

---