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 Conserving water, saving money
In the United States each of us uses approximately 40 gallons of water per day. By getting into a few simple habits, you can conserve your water usage and lower your costs:
- Wash only full loads of laundry. A full cycle consumes up to 60 gallons of water.
- Take quick showers rather than baths. Five minutes for showering is plenty. An individual can use up to 50 gallons of water for a five-minute shower.
- Make sure faucets are completely off, and repair leaky faucets. A slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it and save 6000 gallons a year.
- Install a water-saving showerhead.
- Turn off water while brushing your teeth or shaving and save two to three gallons per day.
- Check your toilet for leaks. You could be losing up to 100 gallons a day from one leak. That is more than 30,000 gallons a year.
- Install a low-flush toilet.
- Water your lawn early or late, not in mid-day heat. See that you are not watering sidewalks or driveways and remember you are using three-to-five gallons of water per minute.
Don't Let
Small Water Leaks Drain Your Checkbook
A leaking pipe, a running commode, a
split hose and even a dripping faucet can make your water
bill much higher than it should be. Unsuspecting water
leaks can also cause unseen damage behind walls and under
floors. And if you have a hot water leak, chances are you
are paying for wasted energy as well.
For instance, if you have a water leak
the size of a tip of a pencil (1/32“) you will lose as
much as 5,000 gallons a month. A 1/8” hole or small crack
may waste as much as 75,000 gallons.
You can check to see if you have any
small water leaks by making sure everything is turned off.
Then go to your water meter and look at the dial. If the
flow indicator (small triangle) is moving, then you have a
good-sized water leak. If not, come back in 20-30 minutes
and see if it has moved, making sure that you haven’t turn
on any water. If the meter shows a flow, then chances are
that you have a water leak.
Some water leaks like dripping faucets,
are obvious. Other water leaks will be almost invisible,
like a leaky toilet flapper valve or cracked pipe in the
wall or outside. Toilet flappers can be replaced with new
ones available at your nearest hardware store. Leaking or
cracked pipes should be fixed by a qualified person.
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