The average family uses 21.7% of their water washing clothes, 1.4% washing dishes, 15.7% using faucets, 16.8% showering, 26.7% flushing toilets, 13.7% on leaks, 1.7% taking baths, and 2.2% on other uses.
![Indoor water usage chart by percentage.](images/waterconservation/usagechart.jpg)
Save Water in the Bathroom
- Check all faucets, pipes, and toilets periodically for leaks
A faucet drip
or invisible leak in the toilet will add up to 15 gallons of water a day,
or 105 gallons a week, which adds up to 5,475 gallons of wasted water a
year. Check your flapper periodically to make sure it's a tight fit.
- Install water saving shower heads
Low-flow showerheads deliver 2.5 gallons of water per minute
or less and are relatively inexpensive. Older showerheads use 5 to 7 gallons
per minute.
- Take shorter showers or take a bath
Simply taking shorter showers will save
gallons of water. For long exposures to the water, a partially filled bath
instead of a shower will use less water.
- Install a 1.6 gallon low-flow toilet
Ultra-low flow toilets use only 1.6
gallons of water per flush. Using these could cut indoor water use by as
much as 20%. Older toilets use 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. For more information
on the City's Operation Low Flow toilet rebate program
call 768-3655.
- Check for toilet leaks
Once a year, check for toilet leaks. Remove the toilet
tank cover and drip 10 drops of food coloring into the tank. After 15 minutes,
check for color in the toilet bowl. If you see any color, your toilet has
a leak and should be repaired immediately. Again, remember to check your
flapper periodically to make sure it's a tight fit.
- Check for toilet leaks
Once a year, check for toilet leaks.
Remove the toilet tank cover and drip 10 drops of food coloring into the
tank. After 15 minutes, check for color in the toilet bowl. If you see
any color, your toilet has a leak and should be repaired immediately. Again,
remember to check your flapper periodically to make sure it's a tight
fit.
- Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket
Using a wastebasket instead of
the toilet for tissues and other bits of trash will save gallons of water
that are otherwise wasted.
- Install high efficiency, low-flow faucet aerators
Older faucets use between
3 and 7 gallons per minute. Low-flow faucet aerators use no more than 1.5
gallons of water per minute. The aerators can be attached to most existing
faucets.
- Fix leaky faucets immediately
A leaky faucet may simply need a new washer.
Small faucet leaks can waste 20 gallons of water a day. Large leaks can waste
hundreds of gallons.
- Turn off the water while shaving, brushing teeth, etc.
Don't let the
water run when you brush your teeth, wash your face or hands, or shave. This
can save 3 to 7 gallons per minute.
Save Water in the Kitchen and Laundry
- Rinse Efficiently
Running faucets waste 3 to 7 gallons of water per minute.
Before rinsing, put the sink stopper in place instead of running the water.
If you need to use the garbage disposal, release the used sink water as the
disposal is turned on.
- Fill your dishwasher
Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water whether
it is full or just partially full of dishes, so be sure to fill it. Many
dishwashers have a water saver cycle to save even more water.
- Keep drinking water in your refrigerator
Don't let the faucet run until
the water cools down. Instead, keep a container of drinking water in the
refrigerator.
- Defrost food in the refrigerator
When defrosting food, plan ahead to thaw
it in the refrigerator or microwave oven instead of under running water.
- Select proper water level for laundry
Unlike your dishwasher, you can control
the amount of water used by your clothes washer. Select the proper water
level for each load of laundry. A front load washing machine uses
1/3 less water than a top loading machine, uses less energy and gets clothes
cleaner.
- Reuse fish tank water
Use fish tank water on your household plants. Besides
saving water, it's a good fertilizer as well.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 05 February 2008 )
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