Have you ever thought about how much water your septic system consumes on a daily basis? When you consider the amount of times you flush the toilet each day, the number of showers you take, the dishes you wash, and the laundry you do, it could be a significant amount of water. If your septic tank is receiving more water than it can process effectively, you could end up with some serious problems. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to reduce the amount of water that your septic tank has to process each day. Here are three simple ways to reduce water usage throughout the house.

In the Kitchen

When it comes to your kitchen, you might not realize how many things you can do to help protect your septic system. There are actually quite a few easy steps you can take.

Run Full Dishwasher Loads

If you're used to running your dishwasher when it's only half-full, you might be overworking your septic system. To protect your system, be sure to wait to run the dishwasher until you have a full load.

Fill the Sink with Water When Washing by Hand

If you don't have a dishwasher, you can still save water. Instead of running the water while you're washing and rinsing your dishes, fill one side of the sink with soapy water and the other side with clear rinse water. This will ensure that you don't send too much water through to the septic system each time you wash your dishes.

Start Cooking with Cold Water

If you're in the habit of running the water until it's hot each time you cook, you're wasting valuable water – and adding unnecessary water to your septic system. Instead of letting the water run down the drain, start your cooking with cold water and let it heat up on the stove. You can also allow the water to run into a large bowl, or pan and then use the water on your plants.

In the Bathroom

Your bathrooms are another place where excess water can be sent through to the septic system. The easiest ways to protect your septic system is to install energy-conserving toilets, faucets and shower heads. These low-flow plumbing fixtures will reduce the amount of water that flows to your septic system, and will save you money on your water bill each month.

In the Laundry Room

When it comes to your laundry room, there are two specific steps you can take to protect your septic system. First, instead of saving all of your laundry for one day a week, try doing several small loads throughout the week. This will prevent a large amount of water from flowing through to the septic tank at one time. Second, if you live in an area that allows gray water usage, you can attach a drain hose to your washing machine and drain the water out to your yard.

If you have a septic system, too much water can be a bad thing. Use the tips provided here to help reduce the amount of water that flows through to your septic tank.