 Simple
Steps to Save Water
Saving water around the home is simple and smart. The average household
spends as much as $500 per year on its water and
sewer bill but could save about $170 per year by retrofitting with
water efficient fixtures and incorporating watersaving practices.
Let WaterSense show you how to save water—and your
wallet. How much money you save will depend on the cost
of water where you live, but it makes sense that using less water
lowers your utility bill. More importantly, using less water preserves
this limited resource for generations to come.
Inside the Home
| By giving your bathroom a water efficiency makeover with WaterSense
labeled toilets and faucets, you could save more than 11,000
gallons annually—and that’s no drop in the bucket. |
Get Flush With Savings
- Consider installing a WaterSense labeled toilet, which uses
20 percent less water while offering equal or superior performance.
Compared to older, inefficient models, WaterSense labeled toilets
could save a family of four more than $90 annually on its water
utility bill, and $2,000 over the lifetime of the toilets.
- Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the tank.
If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within
15 minutes. (Make sure to flush as soon as the test is done, since
food coloring can stain the tank.)
Accessorize Your Faucet
- Installing a WaterSense labeled aerator is one of the most cost-effective
ways to save water. Also consider replacing the entire faucet
with a WaterSense labeled model. Either way, you can increase
the faucet’s efficiency by 30 percent without sacrificing
performance.
- Repair dripping faucets and showerheads. A drip rate of one
drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year.
Clean Up With Savings
- A full bathtub can require up to 70 gallons of water, while
taking a 5-minute shower uses only 10 to 25 gallons.
- Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth can save 8 gallons
per day.
Lighten Your Loads
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes or lower the water
settings for smaller loads.
- Replace your old washing machine with a high-efficiency, ENERGY
STAR® labeled model, which uses up to 50 percent less water
and electricity.
Outside the Home
| The average single-family suburban home uses at least 30 percent
of its water for outdoor purposes such as irrigation and as much as 70 percent
in dry climates. Some experts estimate that more than 50 percent
of landscape water is wasted due to evaporation, wind, or overwatering. |
Water When Needed
- Water your lawn or garden during the cool morning hours, as
opposed to midday, to reduce evaporation.
- Look for sprinklers that produce droplets, not mist, or use
soaker hoses or trickle irrigation for trees and shrubs.
- Set sprinklers to water lawns and gardens only. Check that
you’re not watering the street or sidewalk.
- Try not to overwater your landscaping. Learn plants’
water needs and water different types appropriately.
Grow Green Grass
- Don’t overfertilize. You will increase the lawn’s
need for water.
- Raise your lawn mower blade to at least 3 inches. Taller grass
promotes deeper roots, shades the root system, and holds soil
moisture better than a closely cropped lawn.
Garden With Care
- Plant climate-appropriate species. Try plants that are native
to where you live, which don’t require as much water, and
group plants together by water requirements.
- Use mulch around trees and plants to help reduce evaporation
and control water-stealing weeds.
This document is also available in PDF
(2 pp, 1.5MB, About PDF).
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