Conservation is not just about the environment.
Using less water at home will help LOWER your bill!
Below are some simple tips to help you save
Toilets account for the most (24 - 27%) household water use. If its yellow, let it mellow!
Also consider replacing old toilets with high efficiency toilets, which could save up to 18 gallons PER DAY!!!
**Scroll down for a simple way to test if your toilet has a leak.
Turn off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your hands.
A running faucet flows about 2.2 gallons per minute.
Soak pots & pans instead of scraping or cleaning them while the water is running.
Alternatively, you can fill a dirty pot with water and let it simmer on the stove to loosen stuck on food and debris.
Keep a container of water in the fridge.
While waiting for the tap water to get cold, collect the water in a pitcher or bottle so it's not running down the drain!
This way, you have fresh cold drinking water while helping to reduce waste.
Reuse them!
Bath towels don't need to be washed every time they're used, you're already clean when you come out of the shower! Let them dry properly and wash after every 4th or 5th use.
Only run your appliances when they're full.
Dishwashers, depending on age,
use 4 -10 gallons per load.
Washing Machines use 15 gallons per load.
Put a nozzle on your garden hose.
Left unattended, a running garden hose can waste over 100 gallons of water in just minutes.
Use a shutoff or pressure nozzle so you only use what you need when you're watering plants, cleaning the house, or washing the car.
Position your sprinklers to water plants, not pavement. Check the positioning often, as sometimes external factors such as children or animals can move these out of place.
If you're refreshing your glass of water, or your pet bowls, use the water to water plants instead of throwing it down the drain!
Check for leaks both inside and outside!
Check things like the water connectors to your appliances, pipe joints that might have deteriorated, and look for corrosion.
Pay attention to your water pressure!
Too much pressure can strain your pipes and low pressure can indicate you have a leak.
Approximately 24% of domestic water usage comes from toilet flushing.
A leaky toilet can have a major impact on your bill.
It can also be hard to detect because it may be silent--you may not hear or notice it running.
Here is a simple at-home test you can use to see if your toilet is leaking:
-Drip 10 to 15 drops of food coloring into the toilet tank. DO NOT FLUSH
-Wait 10 minutes
-If colored water appears in the toilet bowl, you have a leak.
A faulty flapper or plunger ball causes most toilet leaks. Check them regularly and replace when necessary.
If you plan to leave your home empty for any length of time, consider shutting off your valve so that if a serious leak develops while you’re gone, it will not flood the premises and you won’t accrue a large water bill.
Remember to also turn off the electricity to the water heater.