The Southwest Florida Water Management District is offering six easy ways to prepare for your holiday meals and parties without running up your water bill.
During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the cleanup process. Here’s how to incorporate water conservation into your holiday preparations:
- Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them.
- Rinse vegetables and fruits in a sink or pan filled with water instead of under running water. This water can then be reused to water houseplants. A running faucet can use up to 4 gallons per minute.
- When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink one-third to one-half full. Avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.
- Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.
- Scrape food scraps into the garbage can or a composting bin, rather than rinsing them into the sink’s garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 4.5 gallons of water per minute.
- Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load. Dishwashers use between 7 and 12 gallons per load.
Have an awesome holiday season, and remember these money saving tips!
