Water Conservation

Faucets

• Shut off your faucets completely. Just 1 faucet leaking at the rate of 1 drop per second can waste as much as 2,800 gallons of water per year. Not only does this waste water, it can significantly increase your utility bill.
• Aerator-type faucets help reduce water usage and energy costs.
• Turn the water off while shaving or brushing teeth.

Showers vs. baths

• A shower head utilizes about 2.5 to 3 gallons of water per minute. A 5-minute shower would use about 15 gallons. A tub bath will require 35 to 50 gallons.

Dishwasher

• Only wash full loads.
• When handwashing, do not let the water run continuously.

Toilets

• Your toilet can use between 1.7 to 7.5 gallons of water each time it is flushed.
• Tip: Fill a 2-liter bottle with water and sand/pebbles and place it in your toilet tank. You save 2 liters per flush by this crafty conservation method.
• Make sure there are at least 3 gallons of water remaining in the tank so it functions properly.
• Adjustable toilet flappers can be purchased for under $10 and are easily installed to lower your per-flush water use.
• Periodically check to see if you hear water running in your toilet tank. A valve not properly sealing can allow water to trickle into or out of the tank and waste up to 1,200 gallons per month.
• An easy way to check for a leak is to put a few drops of food coloring in the tank, wait 30 minutes, and check back to see if the color appears in the bowl without flushing.