Ways to Conserve Water

  1. Bathroom
  2. Kitchen
  3. Laundry
  4. Yard and Garden

Running Water

In the home 2/3 of the water used flows through the bathroom. Don’t leave the water running while:

  • Hand Washing (uses 2 gallons of water)
  • Shaving (uses 20 gallons of water)
  • Teeth Brushing (uses 10 gallons of water)

Showers Versus Bath

  • A full bathtub holds approximately 36 gallons of water.
  • Shower heads with flow restrictors dispense 3 to 5 gallons of water per minute.
  • Standard shower heads dispense 5 to 15 gallons of water per minute.

Don’t Flush Your Money Down the Toilet

  • 25% of all water used in the home is flushed down the toilet.
  • Be careful not to block the float arm.
  • Detect and fix leaky toilets (you can’t always hear a leak). See How to Detect a Toilet Leak (PDF) for more information.
  • Don’t use your toilet as a wastebasket.
  • Leaky toilets can use up to 10 gallons of water per minute.
  • Never use a brick or rock that could crumble and damage your toilet.
  • Place a plastic container filled with water in the toilet tank.
  • Place several drops of food coloring in the tank, wait 30 minutes and you will see any hidden and silent leaks.
  • Remember every facial tissue, bandage wrapper, or cigarette takes 4 to 6 gallons to flush.
  • Standard toilets use 4 to 6 gallons of water per flush.
  • The average person flushes 19 gallons per day.