Supply and Conservation

Preserving and using water wisely is essential to ensuring a stable drinking water supply. Access Penn State Extension resources on residential water supply and conservation. Find advice on managing on-lot septic systems and utilizing rainwater cisterns. Tips on reducing costs through water conservation and storage are available.

Water Conservation: Benefits and Strategies

Water is essential for life; however, it is a finite resource. The most environmentally sound and cost-effective way to preserve water supplies is through water conservation.

Water conservation provides multiple benefits such as reducing energy bills, preventing urban runoff, and reducing maintenance on public sewage plants and home septic systems. In addition, water conservation helps reduce the need to react to sudden water supply shortages during emergency situations such as drought. Private well owners are advised to begin conserving water as soon as drought conditions occur.

Preserving Water and Cutting Costs

There are various tactics that can be implemented to decrease water demand, encourage cautious usage, and reduced water bills. Indoors water-saving strategies to consider include using a front-loading washer and installing flow-restricted showerheads and faucets. It’s also good to remember that toilets account for a large part of the water consumption in homes. Cost-efficient fixtures include installing a low-flush, air-assisted, or composting toilet.

Outside the home, irrigation is one of the biggest sources of water use, especially during the summer months. Tips for reducing outdoor water usage include using drip irrigation or soaker hoses and planting drought-tolerant landscapes. If you own a pool, using a cover can further prevent losing water to evaporation and increase solar heating of the pool water.

Discover more about reducing water demands with Penn State Extension resources. Practical information can be obtained during the Water Use, Conservation, and Testing webinar or in the Water Conservation for Communities guide.

Rainwater Cisterns

The systems used to collect and store rainwater are known as roof-catchment cisterns. Most cisterns are located underground and supply water to households through a pressurized plumbing system.

Cisterns can be utilized to supply water to farms as well. Water collected from barn and out-building roofs can be used to fill watering troughs and rain barrels. More to that, building a storage cistern alongside a farm building could also be used as an emergency water source.

If utilizing a rainwater cistern for drinking purposes, it is critical to take adequate measures to minimize water quality problems such as lead and copper. Proper cistern planning and construction is the first step to ensuring adequate water quality and quantity. Periodic maintenance of the cistern should be carried out as well.

In this section, find Penn State Extension resources on best water conservation practices and proper management of cisterns. Homeowners can access valuable recommendations on cistern design, water contamination, and water testing.