Water
conservation at home is something anyone can do today.
Conserving water not only helps protect the supply of drinking
water for you and your neighbors, but also saves you money
in water and heating costs.
More
water is used here than any other room in your home and
can therefore benefit the most from water conservation
efforts. For instance, replacing a 3.5 gal. toilet with
a 1.5 gal. toilet can save 3,600 gallons of water a year.
There are many easy steps to conserve water at home including:
Check
and repair leaky faucets
Leaking
toilets waste a tremendous amount of water. Check for
leaks a couple times per year.
Install
water saving shower heads for up to 50% savings. Remove
the old shower head, wrap the threads with Teflon tape
to ensure a tight seal, then install the low-flow shower
head.
Install
low flow toilets
Fill
a one-quart jug with water, weight the bottom, and put
in the toilet tank to reduce flow. Don't use a brick,
since they can crack the tank or dissolve and cause serious
plumbing problems.
Kitchen
Using
a dishwasher and running full loads is more efficient than
washing dishes by hand. Automatic shut-off faucets that
use a foot pedal or a bar you lean against are devices
that can help conserve even more water.
Use
an energy efficient dishwasher, and air or hand dry the
dishes to save electricity
Install
a faucet aerator. Some restrict flow to less than 1.0
gpm. A family of four could save 1,700 gallons of water
per year by installing aerators on the kitchen and bathroom
sink.
Collect "greywater" from
washing dishes and use to water plants
Run
the faucet on cold for a minute to flush out old water
that may have picked up lead, copper, or iron from your
pipes. Store a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator
so you don't have to run the water everytime to get it
cold. A glass pitcher is best, as some kinds of plastic
containers can impart a taste to water.
Laundry
Washing
machines are the second biggest water user behind toilets.
Most manufacturers offer a high-efficiency washing machine,
some using as little as 20 gallons per load, compared to
40 gpl of traditional machines. Side-loading washers are
usually the most effecient and will more than pay for their
extra expense through savings in water and energy use.
Run
the washer with full loads only
Adjust
wash cycle and water volume for the clothes load
