Look for the WaterSense label on showerheads, dishwashers, and other appliances
Tips for Laundry and Water Heaters
- Set the water heater thermostat to 120°F
- Install a booster in your dishwasher to increase the water temperature to 140°F
- Wait until you have a full load to use your dishwasher and clothes washer
- If you can't wait for a full load, use the right water level to match the size of the load
- Use cold water to wash clothes - save washing in warm water for whites and hard-to-clean items
- Once a year, drain one gallon of water from the faucet at the bottom of your water heater to get rid of the sediment in the water and increase the efficiency of your water heater
Tips for the Bathroom
- Take showers instead of baths
- Shorten your shower by 1-2 minutes
- Limit showers to 5 minutes
- Install a low-flow showerhead
- Repair toilet leaks
- Toilet leaks can be detected by adding a few drops of food coloring to water in the toilet tank; if the colored water appears in the bowl, the tank is leaking
- Repair or replace leaking faucets
- Make sure there are water-saving aerators on all of your faucets
- Turn the water off while you brush your teeth
Tips for the Kitchen
- Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods
- Defrost your food overnight in the refrigerator or use the defrost setting on your microwave
- Refrigerate a bottle of drinking water instead of letting a faucet flow until the water is cold enough to drink
- Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle
- Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape and them clean
- When doing dishes, fill your second sink with clean water for rinsing instead of running water to rinse
- Cut down on the amount of rinsing you do before loading the dishwasher; most modern dishwashers do an excellent job of cleaning dishes, pots, and pans all by themselves
- Minimize use of your garbage disposal
- Start a compost pile or throw away any garbage scraps to avoid using water with your disposal
Tips for Gardening and Yards
- Use a rain barrel to collect rain and help water your plants
- Plant a rain garden to add beauty to your yard, while absorbing and filtering runoff
Water Usage Calculator:
Please see the attached files to check what your estimated daily usage is. This information can help you track your daily usage better, and locate areas where you could conserve your water usage in the future.
Please note that the amounts given in this calculator are averages and usage generated by appliances can differ. These averages can still provide a good estimate of your daily usage.
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