Conserving Water and Reducing your Water Bill
The average American family uses 400 gallons of water per day. Efficient water use can not only help the environment but save money as well.
Check your home for leaks
Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Even a minor leak can waste more than 20 gallons of water a day. That is over 7,000 gallons per year!
Use your water meter to detect unseen leaks. Begin by turning off all faucets and water using appliances such as an ice maker. Open your meter box to access your water meter. If the dial on your water meter moves at all, you may have a leak.
Don’t let water run
Running tap water to cool it off for drinking is wasteful. Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. This will also allow any chlorine taste to dissipate overnight. Keep in mind that tap water is a healthful drink that costs less than a penny a gallon.
Turn the water off while brushing your teeth.
Don’t shower too long or fill the tub too full.
Outdoors is the best opportunity for water conservation in the home. Some experts estimate that more than 50% of commercial and residential irrigation water use goes to waste due to evaporation, run off or over-watering.
- Water lawns and gardens early in the morning to reduce evaporation.
- Mulch your plants to reduce water loss.
- Aerate clay soils.
- Plant native and/or drought tolerant plants.
- Capture rainwater for garden use.
- Sweep your driveway rather than hosing it off.
- Use a hose with a cutoff nozzle when washing your car.
These and the many other conservation measures will not only help reduce your water bill but also benefit the environment.
Links to more conservation tips:
Questions which are not addressed through this web site, please email Sonia Harvat.