Think about water. It’s yours for the asking, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. All you have to do is turn a faucet.
But now think again. The water you use doesn’t come magically from nowhere. It is a carefully manufactured product—clean,
safe and piped directly into your home—a valuable resource that shouldn’t be wasted. The high-quality water that we need
and expect in our homes is a limited resource. Our demands on this valuable, limited resource are growing daily. And remember:
you are paying for every drop whether it’s used or wasted. So by conserving water you can also be doing your pocketbook a
favor. Here are several things you can do to prevent water waste:
Bathrooms:
Never use your toilet as an ash tray or waste basket.
Check faucets and pipes for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15-20 gallons per day. Fix it and you save almost
6,000 gallons a year.
Use food coloring or dye tablets to check your toilets for leaks. Put a bit of food coloring in each toilet tank. Without flushing, watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It's not uncommon to lose up
to 100 gallons a day from one of these invisible toilet leaks—that's more than 30,000 gallons a year! Replacing
the toilet flapper is an easy and inexpensive repair job.
Put a small plastic bottle or bag full of sand in your toilet tank to displace some water. Place it so it doesn't
interfere with the flushing mechanism.
Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
Install flow restrictors in your faucets.
Take short showers instead of tub baths. Turn off the water flow while soaping or shampooing.
Install water-saving showerheads.
If you must use a tub, close the drain before turning on the water and fill the tub only half full. Bathe small
children together.
Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it, such as watering a plant or garden.
Kitchen and Laundry:
Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin. Use a vegetable brush.
Do not use water to defrost frozen foods. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Use a dishpan for washing and rinsing dishes. Don't leave the water running.
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher.
Add food wastes to your compost pile instead of using the garbage disposal.
Operate the dishwasher only when completely full.
Use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
Outside:
Sweep driveways, sidewalks and steps rather than hosing off.
Wash the car with water from a bucket, or consider using a commercial car wash that recycles water.
When using a hose, control the flow with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
Avoid purchasing recreational water toys that require a constant stream of water.
If you have a swimming pool, consider a new water-saving pool filter.
Lower pool water level to reduce amount of water splashed out.
Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation when pool is not being used.
Equipment:
Repair all leaks. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day. To detect leaks in the toilet, add food coloring to
the tank water. If the colored water appears in the bowl, the toilet is leaking. Visit this site
for toilet repair advice.
Install ultra-low flow toilets, or place a plastic container filled with water or gravel in the tank of your
conventional toilet. Be sure it does not interfere with operation of the toilet's flush mechanisms.
Install low-flow aerators and showerheads.
Consider purchasing a high efficiency washing machine that can save over 50% in water and energy use.
Potential Water Savings for Water Efficient Fixtures and Appliances:
The Colorado Water Conservation Board has developed a
list of potential water savings for switching to water efficient fixtures and appliances.
