| Fix leaky toilets and fixtures!
Toilets are notorious for their silent leaks and can steal thousands of gallons of water. Put a few drops of food coloring to the tank. Do not flush. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within about 10 minutes. Check the toilet for worn out, corroded, or bent parts, especially the flapper valve. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. (Flush immediately after completing test, since food coloring may stain the tank.) |
| Limit showers to five minutes or less
A typical shower lasts about 8 minutes and uses about 17 gallons. An efficient shower lasts 3 or 4 minutes and uses 7.5 gallons. Create a "shortest shower" contest for your family. (Wet down, soap up, rinse off; this will result in 50 percent less water usage for these activities) |
| Install low flow aerators and showerheads
The most effective and inexpensive way to reduce your faucet use is by retrofitting a low-flow faucet aerator on all your household faucets. Some aerators can restrict flow to less than 1.0 gpm.
Switching from a high-flow showerhead to a high-efficiency showerhead can save thousands of gallons of water a year. All showerheads manufactured in the U.S. must restrict flow to 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less. Some models use even less water. |
| Run only FULL loads of laundry and dishes
Only wash full loads of laundry to save both water and energy. Washing full loads can save up to 300 - 800 gallons of water a month. |
