Conservation Tips

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