Water Conservation
Tips On saving water and money
If you feel that your water bills are higher than expected, first check the reading on your meter to ensure it was not overread. Next, you should search for any hidden leaks. To detect leaks, turn everything off carefully so water is not being used anywhere in the house. Do not turn off the commodes, but be sure they haven’t recently been flushed. Turn off your icemaker if you have one. Then check the test hand on your meter (a small red triangle slightly to the left and below the center of your meter or the long sweep hand much like the second hand on a watch or clock). If it is moving at all, then you have a leak. If your meter does not have a test hand, then you will need to write down all the readings and go back and do the same thing in about 15 minutes. If there has been a change in the readings, then you have a leak.
Toilets are notorious for hidden leaks. They can waste hundreds of gallons a day undetected. Leaks occur when the toilet is out of adjustment or when parts are worn, so it's important to check periodically.
If both your electric and water bills have increased drastically, then it is safe to assume you have a hot water leak somewhere in your home. This could be in your electric water heater or in a hot water line somewhere within or under the house.
Quick Tips for Saving Water:
- A slow leaking toilet can waste as much as 200 gallons of water each day! Test your toilets by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Without flushing, see if it leaks into the bowl.
- Do you turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth? Doing so can save 8 gallons of water each day.
- Installing a shower flow controller can reduce water flow while maintaining a comfortable spray. This inexpensive valve can save up to 4,000 gallons of water each year.
- When washing your car, use a small bucket for soapy water and save the hose only for rinsing.
- Use lower water pressure for lawn care sprinklers. Excessive pressure causes misting, which can be blown away by the wind instead of absorbed by landscape.
- Up to 50% of the water used for lawn care is wasted due to wind, evaporation, leaks, and runoff. Save water by regularly checking and maintaining your home's landscape irrigation system.
- Did you know that a single irrigation leak could waste up to 1000 gallons of water each week? When watering your lawn, regularly check valves, connections, and sprinkler heads to prevent costly leaks.
- Water evaporates much slower in the morning than when it is hot and sunny in the middle of the day. Watering your lawn or garden early means your plants get more and you waste less.
- Adjust the placement and angle of your sprinklers to keep water on your lawn and away from pavements.