Water Conservation in the Home

Average home water use varies from 50 to 100 gallons per person per day.  The greatest use is in the bathroom; laundry use ranks second. 

Here are tips to use water more efficiently throughout the house.

In the bathroom

• Check your toilet for leaks.  Add 10 drops of food coloring to the water in the tank.  Check for color in the toilet bowl.  Any color in the bowl indicates a leak.  A leaking toilet can waste 15 gallons of water a day.
• Check the water level in the tank.  The fill line in the tank should be about 1/2 inch below the overflow tube.  Water spilling over this line can waste hundreds of gallons each day.
• Place a filled 2-liter bottle in the toilet tank.  This saves 1/2 gallon per flush on any toilet.  Each flush of a standard toilet uses 5 to 7 gallons.
• Turn the water off when brushing your teeth.  Leaving the water running can use 10 gallons of water each time you brush.
• Take shorter showers.  A 10 minute shower can use up to 70 gallons.  A full standard size tub uses about 20 gallons.
• Fix dripping or leaking faucets.  A faucet that drips once every second will waste almost 9 gallons a day.
• Install water saving shower heads, faucets and toilets. Saves: toilet 4.5 gallons/flush; shower 10 gallons/min; faucets 5 gallons/min.

In the kitchen

• Fill the dishwasher each time you use it.  A standard dishwasher uses 15 gallons whether it is half full or full.
• Use the water saver cycle.  This can save up to 30% of your water use.
• Use a dishpan or a stopper in your sink instead of just running water.  Can save 25 gallons.

• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. 

• Running your faucet to get cold water can use 3-7 gallons each minute.

In the laundry

• Select the proper water level for each load of laundry.  A full cycle at the top level uses 40 gallons of water per wash. 
• Consider a front loading or a high efficiency washer when buying a new one.  These machines use half the water per wash, and are also big energy savers.

Around the home

• Clean your sidewalks, driveways and patios with a broom.
• Clean your car at a commercial car wash that recycles its water.