Water Conservation

Lawn Watering Tips
 

• Water in the early morning or evening. If you sprinkle your lawn under the hot sun, you'll lose as much as 30 percent of your water to evaporation.
• Lawns can only absorb water so fast. It's better to water your lawn for three 10 minute sessions-with each session a half-hour apart than it is to water steadily for 30 minutes and cause run-off.
• Landscaping that stresses, proper soil preparation, efficient irrigation and the use of water stingy plants means less maintenance and lower water usage.
• Keep grass at least two inches high to shade roots and hold moisture.
• Use mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and promote growth.
• Water trees slowly, deeply and infrequently to encourage deep rooting.

Inside Tips
 

• Dripping faucets and leaky toilets account for a large portion of home water waste.
• Bathing is the second highest use of indoor water, a five minute shower is all that is needed.
• The toilet is a big guzzler of indoor water. Installing an ultra-low flow (1.6 gal/flush) toilet is an excellent way of reducing flows.
• Install low flow (2.2 glas/minute) aerators on bathroom and kitchen faucets.
• Run the dishwasher and washing machine only when they are full.
• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator.

Outdoor Tips
 

• Use a broom to clean the driveway.
• Adjust your sprinklers so that the lawn is watered but not the driveway or the house.
• When washing the car use biodegradable soap and water from a bucket of hose with a shut-off nozzle.

Common Water Uses
 

• Clothes Washing - 133 - 189 liters per load (30-42 gal)
• Dish Washing (by hand) - 38 liters per meal (8 gal)
• Dish Washing (dishwasher) - 227 liters per load (49 gal)
• Showering - 19 - 23 liters per minute (4-5 gal)
• Showering - (low flow head) - 9.5 liters per minute (2 gal)
• Washing hands - 8 liters (1.8 gal)
• Brushing teeth (water running) - 8-15 liters (1.8-3.3 gal)
• Car washing - 380 liters per car (84 gal)
• Yard washing - 19-38 liters per minute (4-8 gal)
• Flushing toilet (Standard) - 22 liters per flush (5 gal)
• Flushing toilet (water-saver model) - 13 liters per flush (3 gal)
• Flushing toilet (low consumption model) - 6 liters per flush (1.3 gal)

Bathroom
 

• A dripping faucet may waste up to 800 liters (175 gal) of water per week.
• Check pipe and faucets for leaks.
• Turn off the water when brushing teeth or shaving.
• Replace old showerhead with a good quality high efficiency showerhead.
• Limit showers to five minutes.
• Check your toilet for leaks by placing dye tablets in the toilet tank and check the bowl for traces of color after 15 minutes.
• Place a 2 liter plastic bottle filled with water in the toilet tank.
• Stop using your toilet as a waste basket.

Kitchen and Laundry Tips
 

• Install water efficient faucets aerators.
• Run your dishwasher and washing machines only when they are full.
• When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run freely to rinse. Fill up the second side of your sink with rinse water.
• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in your refrigerator.
• Typically at least 50% of water consumed by households is used outdoors.
• Use a broom when cleaning the driveway.
• Water your lawn no more than every third day.
• Adjust your sprinklers so the lawn is watered and not the house or the sidewalk.
• Check your house air-conditioning source seasonally.