How much energy and money would you save by using 45% less water?

Fresh water is the most important resource we take for granted. Besides being a finite resource, it requires a lot of energy to clean, transport, and heat water. Reduce your household environmental footprint by using these water conservation tips.

FOLLOW WATER CONSERVATION BEST PRACTICES

• reduce shower time (aim for less than 5 minutes)

• turn off running faucets when not needed (i.e., while brushing teeth or shaving)

• fix leaky faucets or toilets

• only flush the toilet as necessary

• use your dishwasher instead of doing dishes by hand

• only run the dishwasher when you have a full load

• only run washing machine when you have a full load

INSTALL WATER-EFFICIENT APPLIANCES

• low-flow faucets

• low-flow shower heads

• low-flow toilets

• EnergyStar-rated dishwasher

• EnergyStar-rated washing machine 

REDUCE FOOD/GOODS

• reduce food waste (saving about 20 pounds of food conserves about 900 gallons of water; via Imperfect Foods)

• upcycle or buy used clothing (1 cotton shirt requires 792 gallons of water to produce)

REUSE WATER

• install gray water system

• use “dirty” water to manually (i.e., with a pail) flush the toilet

REDUCE OUTDOOR WATER USE

• reduce or eliminate lawn watering (unless from rain barrel)

• install rain barrel

• plant native plants/grass

• plant drought resistant plants/grass

• mulch gardens

• leave grass clippings on the lawn

• if you need to water your lawn, use a smart sprinkler

• if you need to wash your car, use a self-serve car wash instead of a hose

• cover your swimming pool to decrease evaporation
  

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