Water Conservation Tips

Indoor Residential Use

• Use Dishwashers only when they are full. Washing dishes by hand (don’t let the tap run!) saves about 25 gallons.
• Adjust water level on clothes washing machines, if possible. Use full loads only, if not adjustable.
• Turn off faucets while brushing teeth, etc. Saves about 5 gallons per day.
• Reduce water used per flush by installing toilet tank displacement inserts: a plastic jug may often be used as an alternative. Do not use bricks – they disintegrate when soaked and the resulting grit hinders closing of the flap valve.
• Do not use the toilet as a trash can.
• Use sink and tub stoppers to avoid wasting water.
• Keep a bottle of chilled water in the refrigerator for drinking.
• Find and fix leaks in faucets and water-using appliances. Faucets can usually be fixed cheaply and quickly by replacing washers.
• Adapt plumbing with flow restricting or other water using devices. These are usually inexpensive and easy to install.
• Learn to read your water meter so you can judge how much water you use and what differences conservation makes.
• Take shorter showers and shallow baths. Saves about 25 gallons.
• Reduce the number of toilet flushes per day. Each flush uses about 5 gallons (2-3 if you have water saving toilets).
• Don’t use a garbage disposal.
• Use non-phosphate detergent and save laundry water for lawns and plants.
• Turn off shower while soaping up.