Conservation Tips
1) Install low-flow aerators on all faucets.
Savings: Hundreds of gallons every week.
2) Don’t run the tap while brushing your teeth. Instead, fill a cup to wet your toothbrush and rinse your mouth.
Savings: 3 gallons per minute.
3) Keep the water off while shaving. As an alternative, fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse the razor.
Savings: 3 gallons per minute.
4) To make every flush count, don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket or ashtray.
Saving: Up to 5 gallons per flush.
5) Take shorter showers by wetting yourself first, turning off the tap while you soap your body, and turning the water back on for a final rinse.
Savings: 21 gallons.
1) Only run your washing machine when you have a full load of laundry. This will save water and allow your clothes to last longer.
Savings: 33 gallons per load (conventional top loading machines).
2) Soak stained clothing by hand before washing.
1) Attach nozzles or wands to all water hoses.
2) Use a watering can when watering patio plants or your garden.
3) To recycle rainwater, place a bucket beneath downspouts and use what’s collected to water houseplants.
4) When washing your car, use a pail and sponge instead of a running hose. Use a hose nozzle that shuts off the water in between wetting or rinsing the car.
Savings: Up to 10 gallons per minute.
5) Inspect hoses and hose connections for leaks and repair them quickly – even small leaks can waste thousands of gallons of water.
6) To clear debris from lanais and driveways, use a broom rather than a water hose.
1) To clean vegetables, rinse them in a sink or bowl filled with clean water rather than running water.
Savings: 3 gallons per minute.
2) Steam vegetables using a pot with a tight lid, rather than boiling them.
Savings: Up to 5 gallons, depending on pot size.
3) Thaw frozen foods ahead of time rather than defrosting frozen items under running water.
Savings: 3 gallons per minute.
4) For cold drinking water, keep a container of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap to cool it for drinking.
Savings: 3 gallons per minute.
5) When hand washing dishes, first soak them in a sink filled with water. Once the dishes are clean, quickly rinse them under the tap to remove soap.
Savings: 3 gallons per minute.
6) Dilute dish soap with water to reduce the amount of water needed to rinse away soap.
7) Only use the garbage disposal once cooking and cleanup are complete or when the garbage disposal is full.
Savings: 3 gallons per minute.
1) To check your toilet for leaks, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 10-15 minutes. If food coloring appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, there is a leak that should be repaired immediately.
Savings: Potentially hundreds of gallons.
2) To check for property leaks, turn off all devises that use water in the home. Locate your water meter – it should be in or near the sidewalk area in front of your home or building. Next open the meter cover and look for the red arrow or small black triangle. If either indicator is moving, there is a leak somewhere on your property that should be repaired immediately.
Savings: Potentially hundreds of gallons.
3) To check for underground leaks, examine your lawn for wet spots where grass seems greener. Greener patches of grass and wet spots could indicate that you have a broken underground pipe, and you should contact a plumber immediately.
Savings: potentially hundreds of gallons.