SAVE WATER AT HOME
Save Water in the Bathroom
Place a weighted plastic gallon jug in the tanks of conventional toilets to displace and save an equal amount of water with each flush.
Install low-flow aerators and showerheads. They are inexpensive, easy to install and save water and energy
Don't let the faucet flow while brushing your teeth or shaving. Use a glass of water for rinsing teeth.
Take showers instead of tub baths. Consider bathing small children together.
If your shower has a single-handle control or shut off valve, turn off the flow while soaping or shampooing.
Leaking diverter valves (valves that divert water from tub to showerhead) should be replaced.
Save Water in the Kitchen
Refrigerate a bottle of drinking water instead of letting a faucet flow until the water is cold enough to drink.
Use a dishpan or plug the sink for washing and rinsing dishes. Install a low aerator on all faucets.
Pre-washing dishes prior to loading a dishwasher is unnecessary and wasteful of water.
Operate the dishwasher only when it is fully loaded.
When purchasing a dishwasher, consider water consumption as well as energy efficiency. Most manufacturers now provide this information to consumers.
Save Water in the Laundry
Operate the washing machine only when it is fully loaded.
Use the proper water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
Save Water Outside the Home
The watering of lawns and gardens can double normal household water use during hot, dry summer months. At standard household water pressures, a garden hose will discharge up to 6½ gallons of water per minute. To apply an inch of water to 1000 square feet of lawn or garden requires 620 gallons of water.
Watering should be limited to gardens, and newly planted lawns and landscaped areas. Established lawns and landscaped plantings will usually survive without watering. Inadequate watering encourages shallow root growth and increases the risk of mortality. When water is scarce, your community water supply should be reserved for your most essential needs.
The following water-saving measures should be practiced regularly, but remember, during mandatory water use restrictions, all water use outside the home is restricted.
Use a broom, not a hose to clean driveways, steps and sidewalks.
Wash the car with water from a bucket.
If a hose must be used, control the flow with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day. Do not water on windy days.
Set sprinklers to water the garden only. Do not water the street or sidewalk.
Use soaker hoses and trickle irrigation systems to reduce the amount of water used for irragation by 20 to 50 percent.
Use mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation from the soil surface and cut down on weed growth.
When purchasing a washing machine, consider water consumption as well as energy efficiency. Most manufacturers now provide this information to consumers.