Here are some tips on places to look for household water
conservation:
Bathroom
Older model toilets use 3.5 to 7 gallons of water per flush.
Toilet flushing accounts for 40% of indoor water use. Place a
water displacement bottle in your toilet tank. A clean, heavy
glass jar, such as a barrel pickle jar, no taller than
6½ inches will work well. The full glass jar
without a lid will not move around in the tank and will not
deteriorate over time. Place it in a corner where it will not
interfere with the operation of the float assembly.
When replacing your old toilet, purchase one of the new
water-saving models. They use as little as 1.6 gallons per
flush. Ultra-low flush toilets install just like conventional
toilets, making them ideal for remodeling and new construction.
They can be purchased in a wide spectrum of decorator colors
and styles. Two flushing styles are available; gravity and
pressure assist. Performance standards and testing criteria are
available on the new models. Do your homework to determine
which one is best suited for your home.
Bathing is the second largest volume of water used in the home.
If your home was built before 1991, you may use 40 gallons of
water or more for an 8-minute shower. Switch to a high
efficiency showerhead that uses no more than 2.5 gallons of
water per minute. A full bathtub may use 36 gallons of water.
At minimum water level, you will use only 10 gallons of water.
You save on the water usage, as well as your power bill.
Laundry
Conserve water in your existing
washer by doing full loads, or adjust the water level. Most
top-load washers use from 32 to 60 gallons of water per load.
Look for front-loading washers when buying a new appliance.
Depending upon the model, they use from 15 to 22 gallons of
water per load. Look for models with a variety of water levels
and temperature settings to maximize water and energy savings.
Some models have internal coils to heat the water as it enters
the washer. The higher spin rates on the front-load washers
mean more energy savings from a shorter drying
time. Less water going into a septic system can
increase the life of the drainfield.
Faucets
Use faucet aerators on all faucets. Like the water-saving
showerheads, the aerators give you the same water pressure
without using as much water.