Water is a precious resource. It’s important for all of us to save water throughout the year, but especially during dry spells. Follows these tips to help do you part to conserve:
ABOVE ALL REPAIR LEAKS
- Large or small, leaks waste significant amounts of water
- 1/4” loss per day = 11,983 gallons
- 1/8” loss per day = 3,000 gallons
- 1/16” loss per day = 750 gallons
- 1/32” loss per day = 188 gallons
- Toilet leaks, depending on size can waste 200 gallons of water (or more) a day
- Use dye tablets or food coloring in the tank to find leaks (leaks can be silent)
- If you find a leaky faucet and pipe repair the leak immediately
- Unattended large leaks can waste up to 2,500,000 gallons a year
BATHROOM
- Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket and avoid unnecessary flushes
- Do not let the faucet flow while brushing teeth or shaving
- Install low consumption toilets (save 3-5 gallons per flush)
- Install low-flow aerators and showerheads (save 2-5 gallons per day)
- Take showers instead of baths
- Take shorter showers (save 5-7 gallons a minute or thousands of gallons per year)
- Fix leaks in your bathroom toilet as soon as you find them – toilet leaks are the number one cause of high bills
KITCHEN & LAUNDRY
- Only operate washing machines and dishwashers when they are fully loaded
- Use proper water levels or load selection sizes
- Install a low-flow aerator on all faucets
- Pre-rinsing dishes before loading in a dishwasher is unnecessary and wasteful (kitchen faucets use 2 to 3 gallons a minute)
- When purchasing dishwashers and washing machines, consider the water consumption rating
- Energy efficient appliances use 30% less water
- Don’t run the water to make it cold, instead have it chill in the refrigerator
- Rinse vegetables in a pan of water or closed drain – don’t let the water flow from the faucet
OUTDOORS
- Water your lawn only when you need it
- Water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day
- Water before 9AM or after 7PM
- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways, steps and sidewalks
- 25 gallons of water is wasted for every five minutes of hosing
- Wash the car with water from a bucket. If a hose must be used, control the flow with an automatic shut-off nozzle – don’t leave the hose running while you wash
- Avoid watering on windy days
- Use soaker hoses and trickle irrigation systems
- Mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation
- Plant drought resistant trees, and plants
- Lawns, Shrubs, Flowers and most vegetables only need 1” of water per week
- Use a rain barrel
- Cover your pool to reduce evaporation (save up to 35 gallons a day)
- Position downspouts so rain water runs into a garden or onto the grass, not down the driveway
- During the winter months, make sure to turn off your outside hose spigot (hose bib), to prevent pipe freezing