Water Saving Tips
INSIDE YOUR HOME ...
Check for drippy faucets and leaky plumbing joints. A slow dripping faucet can use 350 or more gallons of water per month; a fast leaking faucet can use 2,000 or more gallons per month. When checking for leaky faucets, remember to check outside faucets as well.
Check your toilet for leaks. Put food coloring into the toilet tank. If color appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak.
Replace or adjust the toilet handle if it frequently sticks in the flush position.
Avoid unnecessary flushing. Dispose of tissues, insects and other similar waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
Shorten your shower. Shortening your shower by as little as 1 or 2 minutes can save hundreds of gallons per month.
If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, consider replacing the shower head with a water-saving showerheads or flow restrictor.
Run your dishwasher only when it's full. Dishwashers use the same amount of water no matter how much is in them.
When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run to get a cool glass of water.
Don't use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator, or use the defrost setting on your microwave.
Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
A garbage disposal requires a lot of water to work properly. Consider alternative ways to dispose of garbage like composting.
Be sure to adjust your washing machine according to the size of the load of clothes you are washing.
Check your water softener to be sure it isn't leaking or cycling more that it should.
OUTSIDE YOUR HOME ...
Adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk or street.
Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
Use a broom or blower instead of a hose to clean leaves and other debris your driveway and sidewalk.
Avoid watering the lawn on windy days … there's too much evaporation.
Raise the lawn mower blade to at least three (3) inches. A higher cut encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soils moisture.
Avoid over fertilizing your lawn. Applying fertilizer increases the need for water.
Use mulch to retain moisture in the soil. Mulch also helps control weeds that compete with landscape plants for water.
Do not leave sprinklers or hoses unattended. A garden hose can pour out 600 gallons or more in only a few hours.
Avoid purchasing recreational water toys which require a constant stream of water.
