SANTA MARIA - When looking to save money, many people consider cutting back on household water use, which has a secondary benefit beyond one's home.
Through their plumbing business, JES Plumbing, father and son Juan and Eric Rodriguez have been promoting that secondary benefit: conservation.
Eric Rodriguez says, "Since fixtures have been coming out 'Green' we've been installing them." Juan Rodriguez adds, "Our main concern is to go to a house and find a leak and stop the leak, and that's where the water-saving starts."
Since 1993, the two have been encouraging their Central Coast clients to consider more environmentally-friendly choices, when looking to replace old shower heads, sinks, and toilets.
Low-flow sink faucets dispense just 1.5 gallons of water per minute, as compared to an old sink, which dumps 2.2 gallons per minute.
Power-flush toilets have a waterless tank, use less water per flush, and run for a shorter period of time, further adding to the conservation.
California Fresh Restaurant is one Central Coast business that benefits from eco-friendly plumbing, installed by JES.
Owner Chad Jordan has low-flow sink faucets and power-flush toilets in his restaurant, and he explains the cost-effectiveness of making those simple changes: "Easily a couple hundred dollars a year." With so much overhead, he is appreciative of his shrinking bottom line, all while helping the environment: "We noticed immediately and with the dishes that we do and everything, it's been a great saving for us."
So if the environment is your impetus, or your money is your motivation, you will see results by making simple plumbing adjustments.
Juan says, "If saving money is an incentive to save the environment, then why not do that, let's go and start doing it now."
But if you're not looking to go so far as to replace anything in your home or business, there are slight changes you can make with what you already have:
- Turning off the water when you're brushing your teeth or washing your face can save two gallons of water per minute.
- Taking shorter showers: if you cut your shower time by just two minutes, you can save up to 150 gallons of water per month
- By running your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full, you can save up to one-thousand gallons of water each month.
