Here
are a few ways to save water, energy and money.
Check
every faucet and toilet for leaks.
Even a slow leak can waste a lot of water each
day. 80%
of all leaks occur in faulty commodes.
Take short
showers and shallow baths.
Turn off
the water while you are washing your hands, brushing your
teeth or scraping the dishes.
Don’t
use the toilet for flushing tissues, gum wrappers or any
other small scraps.
It shouldn’t be used as a trash can.
Be careful
to water the lawn --- not the sidewalk, driveway or street.
Wash only
full loads of dishes and clothes.
Partial loads waste water, electricity and money.
Use a
broom to clean the driveway --- not water from a hose.
Use a
bucket of water for washing the car.
Then use the hose to rinse it.
Keep a
jug of drinking water in the refrigerator, so you don’t
have to run the faucet until the water cools.
Free toilet
leak detectors are available for customers in The Water
District office.
Check
your water system for leaks.
WATER
– Every drop counts!
Water
is a limited resource!
That’s why it’s so important to use water wisely.
Water
is a big part of our everyday lives.
We
use water:
at home
– for drinking, bathing, cooking and cleaning
at work
– for example, to help manufacture goods and to provide
power, heating and cooling
at
play – for swimming, fishing, boating and gardening.
There
are many benefits to using water wisely:
When
you save water, you also:
save money
save energy
help protect the
environment
Careful
water use today may be the only way to avoid severe shortages
in the future!
There
are 3 basic ways to use less water.
1. Change
your habits.
A lot of water goes down the drain needlessly.
Think about the amount of water you’re using and
how you can use less.
2. Repair
leaks.
A single dripping faucet can waste hundreds, even thousands
of gallons per year.
Most leaks are easy to find and repair.
3. Install
water-saving devices.
If you don’t already have water-efficient or low-flow
fixtures, you can cut your water use with:
aerators
(to mix air with water)
displacement
devices (to reduce the amount of water used in older toilets).
Some
areas allow water reuse.
Used water may be suitable for some purposes.
Be sure to comply with local laws and regulations
regarding water reuse.
Wise
water use begins at home.
In
the bathroom:
Toilet
Flush
only when necessary.
Don’t use the toilet to dispose of cigarette butts
or other trash.
Repair
leaks. Add
food coloring to the toilet tank water, and check the
bowl in 15 minutes.
(Don’t flush.)
Color in the toilet bowl probably means there’s
a leak.
Sink
Plug the drain and use only as much water as you need
to wash and shave.
Don’t let water run when you brush your teeth.
Repair
leaks and drips.
Tub
and shower
Plug
the drain before you run water for baths.
Take shallow baths and keep showers short.
Water-saving
devices are available for the toilet and the shower.
In
the kitchen:
Sink
Check faucets and pipes for leaks.
Replace washers, and repair or replace fixtures if
necessary.
Install an aerator or flow restrictor in the faucet.
Dish
washing
Scrape
dishes but don't prerinse.
Soak
pots and pans before washing.
Don't
keep the water running. Plug the wash and rinse basins.
Use only as much water as you need.
Use
only as much detergent as needed.
Run
the dishwasher only when it is full.
Inspect
all connections to the dishwasher, and repair any leaks.
When
doing laundry:
Use the load selector. Match the water level to the size
load, or do only full loads.
Presoak
heavily soiled items.
Use only as much detergent as needed.
Check faucets and hose connections for leaks.
Use
these water-saving tips outdoors.
Car
washing
Rinse your car once, then wash
from a bucket of soapy water.
Rinse quickly again.
Hoses
and irrigation systems
Use
a hose nozzle that can be shut off.
To avoid leaks, shut off water at the house when
finished.
Check
irrigation systems for leaks.
Repair, replace or adjust sprinkler heads, as needed.
Pool
Don’t
overfill. This
helps reduce splashing and spilling.
Use a cover to slow evaporation.
Check
the pool and filtration system for leaks.
Have leaks repaired.
Lawn
and garden
Water
slowly and thoroughly when it’s cool and not windy.
Water as little as possible.
Let
grass grow taller in hot weather.
Use mulch in the garden and around shrubs to save
moisture.
Plant
native plants and shrubs that don’t need a lot of water.
Consider alternatives to big, thirsty lawns.
Obey
any watering restrictions in your community.
Check
your water system for leaks.
Here’s
how to tell if you have a leak and how much water you’re
losing:
1. Find
your water meter.
It may be in the basement or wherever the water line enters
your home. (Some
meters are not accessible to homeowners.
Check with water officials if you can’t find your
meter.)
2. Read
the meter twice.
Read it first at night, after the day’s water use has
ended – and again in the morning, before any water is
used.
3. Find
the difference.
Subtract the first from the second reading to tell how
much (if any)
4. Look
for leaks.
Find them by checking pipes, hoses and connections.
Have leaks repaired quickly.
Check
with your local water department for information about
water-saving programs.
If
everyone saves a little, together we’ll save a lot!
A
Consumer’s Guide to Water Conservation
The Outside Story
Landscaping
is a major consumer of residential water.
What can you do to reduce outside water consumption
without sacrificing an attractive landscape?
1. Water
in the early morning or evening.
If you sprinkle your lawn under the hot
midday
sun, you’ll
lose as much as 30 percent of your water to evaporation.
2.
Several
short watering sessions are better than a single long
one.
Lawns can only absorb water so fast.
It’s better to water your lawn for three 10 minute
sessions – with each session a half-hour apart – than
it is to water steadily for 30 minutes and cause run-off.
3. Better
yet…Xeriscape™.
Xeriscaping
is water wise landscaping that stresses proper soil preparation,
efficient irrigation, and the use of water stingy plants.
For homeowners, it means less maintenance, lower
water bills, and a colorful decorative look.
Contact your local greenhouse or water utility
for more information.
Other tips for reducing water usage.
1. Use
a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways, walks and
patios.
2.
Keep
grass at least two inches high to shade roots and hold
moisture.
3.
Aerate
lawns regularly and use mulch around plants to reduce
evaporation.
4.
Water trees slowly, deeply, and infrequently to
encourage deep rooting.
5.
Visit WaterWiser®,
the water efficiency clearinghouse at
www.waterwiser.org
A
Consumer’s Guide to Water Conservation
The
Inside Story
Just
10 years ago, you were the odd person in your neighborhood
if you conserved water.
Today that’s no longer true.
The fact is, it’s cheaper
to save water than to waste it.
Here are some tips for conserving water in your
home.
Tip
#1.
Check for Leaks.
Dripping faucets and leaky toilets account for a large
portion of home water waste.
Check your faucets and toilets to see if they are
leaking.
Faucets:
Repair all leaks, or if you feel uncomfortable with do-it
yourself repairs, call a plumber.
In the long run, the water you save will pay for
itself.
Toilets:
To detect slow leaks, add several drops of dark food coloring
into the toilet’s water tank.
If the water in the bowl is tinted after fifteen
minutes, your toilet is leaking.
If so, all it usually needs is a new toilet flapper,
an easy and in-expensive repair job.
Tip
#2.
Take short showers.
Bathing is the second highest use of indoor water.
Bathing also uses energy to keep the water warm.
A five-minute shower is usually all that’s needed.
Be sure to install a low-flow (2.5 gals./minute)
shower head.
Tip
#3.
Reduce flushing water.
The toilet is a big guzzler of indoor water.
A good quick fix is to fill a plastic bottle with
some pebbles or sand and water and put it in the toilet
tank to reduce the fill amount.
Don’t use a brick, as it will decompose and gum
up plumbing. Better
yet, install an ultra-low flow (1.6 gals./flush)
toilet.
Other
Tips for Saving Water:
1. Install
low flow (2.2 gals./minute)
aerators on bathroom and kitchen faucets.
2.
Run
the dishwasher and washing machine only when they are
full.
3.
Visit WaterWiser®,
the water efficiency clearinghouse at www.waterwiser.org
for more tips on how to save water.
