Water Conservation
Program
Indoor Water Use
Using water wisely indoors is easy. Just by making a few hardware changes you can
reduce your indoor water usage by up to 50%! The bathroom is the place to start saving
water because it accounts for most household water use (if you have an older model
toilet), and those changes are the most cost effective.
Leaks
Leak s are the biggest water waster. Just one drippy faucet, can waste up to 13 gallons
per day! To check if you have any leaks, visible or non-visible, the best course of action
to take is to check your water meter. First, make sure that no water is in use. Second,
locate your water meter, and take the top off the meter box. Remove the lid of the meter
and observe the needle on the face of the meter. Third, mark on the glass of the meter
with a marking pen the location of the needle. Fourth, wait at least 15 minutes. (Make
sure no water is used during this time.) Fifth, check the needle on the meter. If it is
moving, i.e. it has moved past the pen mark, and no water has been used, then there is a
leak somewhere on your property.
Bathroom
Nearly 75% of our indoor water use is in the bathroom. By changing some hardware,
hundreds of gallons can be saved each month. To save water in the bathroom you only need
to remember three things: ultra low-flush toilets (ULFT), low-flow showerheads, and faucet
aerators. The nice thing about hardware retrofits is that the hardware saves the water.
Once it is installed, you don’t even have to think about it.
Install an Ultra Low-flush Toilet.
If you have an older style toilet, you could be using up to 40% of your indoor
water use in toilet flushing. Older model toilets will use between 3.5 and 7 gallons per
flush. ULFTs are proven technology and only use 1.6 gallons per flush. Most models work
very well, with no special problems. Consumer Reports February 1995 issue has an excellent
comparison of many different models of ULF toilets. Often they out perform the old style
toilets that they are replacing. A high quality ULFT can be purchased for approximately
$100 - $150.
Install a low flow showerhead.
The shower accounts for approximately 20% of indoor water use, and 30% to 40% of
hot water use. Older showerheads put out water at a rate of 4.5 to 8 gallons per minute
(gpm). Low-flow models operate at a range of 1.5 to 2.5 gpm. Low-flow showerheads are
available in a wide range of flow characteristics, so it should be possible to find a
model that suits you. Consumer Reports February 1995 issue has an excellent comparison of
different models. Use a wrench or pliers to unscrew the old showerhead. You may wrap a
layer of Teflon tape around the threads. Then screw on the new showerhead. Use the
shut-off valve behind the head to shut off the water while soaping up without loosing the
water temperature when the water is turned on again.
Install a faucet aerator.
Water conserving faucet aerators are available in sizes ranging from approximately
0.5 gallons per minute (gpm.) to 2 gpm. Low-flow aerators mix air with the water to make
an effective spray pattern. Older lavatory faucets typically operate at 7 gpm, and most
new models operate at 3.5 gpm. So by installing a low-flow aerator you can save a lot of
water. Aerators are also available that can be turned on and off with the flick of a
finger. Those type of aerators are great for lavatory basins because they are easy to use
and they save water during teeth brushing, shaving, etc.
To change your aerator, unscrew the old aerator or screen with a pair of pliers and
thread on the new one. Tighten just enough to prevent leaks from the threaded connection.
Low flow aerators mix air with the water to make an effective spray pattern. Some old
style faucets will not accept an aerator. You can reduce the flow at these faucets by
turning down the angle stop that is located
 under the basin. However, the spray pattern
will not be as nice as with an aerator. Those old style basin faucets should be replaced
since they use the most water.
Install a toilet dam or other retrofit device.
Consult with a reputable
hardware or plumbing retailer before choosing a toilet retrofit device. To work properly,
the device must be compatible with your toilet, and it must be properly installed. Some of
those toilet devices work and some of them don’t work. Some retrofit devices can
actually waste water. Before purchasing a retrofit device, take into account the economics
and the condition of your toilet. Purchasing a ULFT may prove more cost effective in the
long run.
Kitchen
Install a hot water on-demand system.
Installing a hot water on-demand system if the kitchen and bathroom are far from
the water heater can save water. If you choose to install such a system, select a system
that is energy neutral. An on-demand system that requires a constantly running
recirculation pump may save a little water, but it will waste a lot of energy.
Use the garbage disposal less.
Throw out or compost fruit and vegetable scraps. If you feel it's necessary to use
the garbage disposal, save all the peelings until the end of clean-up time, and use the
dishwasher to help flush them down the drain.
Reverse osmosis (RO) filter systems can waste water.
Typically a home RO unit will waste 14 gallons a day in reject water (water that
does not pass through the RO membranes, but is passed into the drain). Some RO units waste
as much as 40 gallons a day. If you have an RO unit, make sure that it is equipped with an
automatic shut-off valve. If it needs a shutoff valve, contact the dealer where you
purchased the unit. The industry has made some efforts to make retrofit valves available.
Self-regenerating Water Softeners.
Self-regenerating water softeners typically use from 35 to 140 gallons of water per
cycle. There are many units on the market that feature water saving technology. However,
systems that use over a 100 gallons of water per cycle are still being sold. The water use
can be reduced by careful scheduling of regeneration cycles on clock controlled models. It
should be set to cycle no more than twice a week. Modem units will have a water meter or
hardness sensor to control regeneration. That way, soft water is produced only as it is
needed, and regeneration is usually more infrequent than clock controlled regeneration.
Laundry
 Washing clothes
accounts for approximately 25% of residential water use. Front loading horizontal-axis
machines use 1/3 less water than top-loading vertical-access machines. The standard
top-loader uses from 35-55 gallons per load, whereas a front loader will use from 25-30
gallons per load. As well as saving water, the front-loading machines also save energy.
Front-loading machines still cost more than the U.S. standard top-loading models, but the
price will continue to fall as they become more available and the demand increases.
Outdoor Water Use
Lawn Water Guidelines
You can water less frequently and improve your garden's vigor by irrigating only when
plants show the need for water, and by watering long enough to generate deep roots. Short,
repeated waterings as two 10-minute periods separated by a break of 30 minutes allows the
soil to accept water more efficiently than a longer cycle (i.e., one 20-minute period.)
Here are some steps you can follow:
Wait to irrigate until first signs of wilt
appear.
Spots in the lawn that turn bluish-gray, footprints that show in the grass long after
being made, and many leaf blades folded in half lengthwise are all signs of wilt.
Avoid runoff
By matching water application rates to soil absorption ability. To prevent runoff,
water for short periods instead of a single long irrigation.
Stretch the time interval between irrigations.
Generally, watering twice a week is sufficient, except in very hot weather, or with
sandy soil. Lawn planted in sandy soil requires three or four five-minute
watering per
week.
Irrigate in early morning
when less water is lost to wind and evaporation.
Immediately repair leaky pipes,
sprinkler heads, valves and other equipment.
Improve water infiltration
by using a "syringe cycle" just before regular watering. The syringe cycle is
a brief, preliminary application of water, usually one to two minutes. It moistens the
soil surface, and facilitates better water and nutrient flow to the root zone. |
