Conservation Tips
The average faucet flow is 1.3 gallons per minute. If your faucet is dripping, you could be wasting 20 gallons or more per day...
- Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or shaving and save more than 5 gallons per day.
- Instead of waiting for tap water to get cold enough for drinking, keep a pitcher of water in your refrigerator.
- If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing.
- Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables or other food.
- Use your water meter to check for leaks in your home. Start by turning off all faucets and water-using appliances and make sure no one uses water during the testing period. Take a reading on your water meter, wait for about 30 minutes, and then take a second reading. If the dial has moved, you have a leak.
- Repair faucet leaks. Dripping faucets can usually be repaired by replacing the rubber O-ring or valve cartridges.
More information on Indoor Water Facts and Bathroom Faucet Facts.
An average of 20% of toilets leak. If your toilet is leaking, you could be wasting from 30 to 500 gallons of water per day...
- Check toilets for leaks by placing a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If after 15 minutes the dye shows up in the bowl, the toilet has a leak.
- Reduce the amount of water used by an older toilet by placing a one-gallon plastic jug of water, or two one-quart bottles, in the tank to displace toilet flows. These methods can save over 1,000 gallons of water per person per year!
- Don't use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket.
More information on Toilet Facts and Flush Fact Versus Flush Fiction.
A 10-minute shower uses about 22 gallons of water. A bathtub filled 1/2 full takes about 50 gallons of water.
- Take a quick shower rather than a bath.
- Replace an existing showerhead if a one-gallon bucket placed under the flow takes less than 20 seconds to fill.
More information on Simple Steps to Save Water and Droplets.
You use as much as 30-35 gallons of water when you wash a load of clothes.
- Wait until you have a full load of laundry before running the machine. If you can't wait for a full load, use the right water level to match the size of the load.
You use as much as 25 gallons of water every time you run the dishwasher.
- Run your dishwasher only when it is full.
- Cut down on the amount of rinsing you do before loading the dishwasher, as most modern dishwashers do an excellent job of cleaning dishes, pots and pans all by themselves.
The greatest waste of water is outdoor watering too much and too often.
- Water your lawn only when the grass does not spring back when you step on it, and deep soak it when you do water.
- Set a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn your sprinkler off.
- Don't sprinkle the pavement!
More information on Watering Can Be Efficient and Outdoor Water Facts.
If you water your lawn at midday, as much as 30% of that water can be lost to evaporation.
- Water before 8 A.M. or after 6 P.M. and avoid watering on windy days.
- Avoid sprinklers that spray a fine mist, which increases evaporation.
- Plant drought-resistant trees and plants.
- Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants.
Your garden hose can use more than 10 gallons of water per minute.
- Use a spray nozzle with a cutoff handle on your hose so water doesn't flow continuously.
- Check your hose connections often for leaks.
- Don't run the hose while washing your car.
- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.
- Tell your children not to play with the hose and sprinklers.