Water Saving Tips and Facts

Water Saving Tips

Run your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their colors.
When shopping for a new clothes washer, compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some of these can save up to 20 gallons per load, and energy too.

Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost vegetable food waste instead and save gallons every time.
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.
If your dishwasher is new, cut back on rinsing. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.
If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.

Use a water-efficient showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.
Before you lather up, trade up your current shower head to a water-efficient shower head which can reduce water consumption by up to 40%. Water-conserving shower heads are inexpensive, easy to install, and can save a family of four up to 17,000 gallons of water a year.
Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons per month.
When running a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
Turn off the water while you shave and save up to 300 gallons a month.
To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.

Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
If your toilet was installed before 1992, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank.

Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and you can save 140 gallons a week.
Listen for dripping faucets and running toilets. Fixing a leak can save 300 gallons a month or more.

Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.
Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn (4” recommended) shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.
Install a rain sensor on your irrigation controller so your system won't run when it's raining.
Reduce the amount of lawn in your yard by planting shrubs and ground covers appropriate to your site and region (native plants are best).)
Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.
Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those spraying water into the air.
Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden to remind you when to stop. A running hose can discharge up to 10 gallons a minute.
Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant for year-round landscape color and save up to 550 gallons each year.
Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car. You'll save up to 100 gallons every time.

When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.

While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.
Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and industrial uses.