WATER CONSERVATION FACTS & SUGGESTIONS
¨ On an average, 75% of water is used in the bathroom, 20% in the kitchen and laundry and 5% for cooking and drinking
¨ Applied nationally, household conservation would save billions of gallons of water per day, reducing need to build dams and sewage plants
¨ New plumbing fixtures could save approximately 13,000 gallons per year per household
¨ Never use toilet as ashtray or garbage
¨ Install toilet “dams” or a “tank bank” to save 1-2 gallons per flush
¨ Test flapper ball and valve seat by adding food coloring to tank portion; if it leaks into bowl, replace it
¨ Check for spillage out the overflow tube; water level should be approximately ½” below the top of the tube. If water is too high or low, bend the arm very gently until toilet fills to proper level
¨ Save on hot water by turning off shower while soaping or shampooing
¨ Install “low flow” shower heads – flow should be under 3 gallons per minute for substantial savings
¨ Take shorter showers (cut cost in half by taking 4-5 minute shower) as opposed to 10-15 minutes
¨ Fill sink half-full when shaving instead of letting water run; brushing teeth also applies
¨ Try to only run washing machine with a full-load
¨ Front-loading washers are more water conservative than top-loading machines
¨ Keep pitcher or bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator
¨ Use a pistol-grip nozzle to wash car
¨ Do not hose driveways and sidewalks, use a broom or rake instead
¨ Rule of thumb for watering lawn: WATER SLOWLY; DEEPLY; INFREQUENTLY
¨ Water lawn early in the morning or in the evening; don’t water on windy days
Don’t water the street or road, adjust sprinklers
HOUSEHOLD USE
FLUSH TOILET 5-7 GALLONS
10 MINUTE SHOWER 40-70 GALLONS
FULL LOAD TOP LOADING WASHER 30-55 GALLONS
RUN TAP BRUSHING TEETH 3-5 GALLONS
LEAKY FAUCET 300 GALLONS
WASH CAR LEAVING HOSE RUNNING 90 GALLONS
TOILET LEAKING (6 MOS) 45,000 GALLONS
DISHWASHER 10-20 GALLONS