Water Saving Tips
According to the U.S.D.A., basic indoor water consumption per person is 50-70 gallons per day. You can calculate what your average indoor water consumption should be by taking the number of people in your household x 50-70 gallons per day. Since outdoor watering is done during the summer months, you might want to calculate and compare with winter water use. If your basic indoor use is high, you should check for leaks or consider replacing some of your plumbing fixtures with new low-flow devices.
Water Saving Kitchen
Each dishwasher load uses 14-20 gallons of water, depending on the brand and size. To save water, wash only full loads. Installing a low-flow aerator/sprayer on your kitchen sink faucet will make washing/rinsing dishes easier and save water.
Laundry
Washing machines use 2 resources: electricity to run the motor and water to wash the cloths. One of the easiest ways to save on your utility boll is to switch to a high efficiency washing machine. Look for th Energy Star label and you could reduce your utility bill by an average of $50 a year.
*Wash Full Loads Washers fill up whether they have one item or a full load
*Choose an Energy Star washing machine It uses less than half the water and energy of a standard machine
*Use Cold Water Only use hot water for very dirty loads and you'll save money because you wont be paying to heat the water.
Water Saving Bathroom
Together, the shower, the toilet, and the faucet in your bathroom use a lot of water. In fact, toilets alone account for 30% of the indoor water use in an average home. Taking shorter showers is a good start, but there are a lot of other ways to save water in the bathroom.
*FIX LEAKS! One drop per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons of water per year.
*Install low flow aerators on faucets. The aerator is the screw-on tip of the faucet. Look for a flow rate of no more than 1 gallon per minute. (The District will be giving out low flow aerators in MAY!!)
Car washing Tips
When washing your car, use a pistol-grip nozzle, one that shuts off when you let go of it. You will reduce your water use per car wash from 200 gallons down to 20 gallons if you don't let the water run.
Smart Watering
The greatest waste of water comes from applying too much and too often – much of the water is never absorbed. Instead of watering for one long session, water a few times for shorter periods and take 15 minute breaks between each session. This will allow water to soak in while minimizing runoff.
Lawn Tips
You can reduce your lawn's water requirements by cutting it taller. Bermuda can be cut 1" deep, Bluegrass and Rye grass can be cut 2"-2.5" deep, and Fescue can be cut 2.5"-3" deep. If your lawn gets a lot of traffic you probably will need to water and fertilize it more to promote strong growth in worn areas.