Conservation Tips

Hand washing dishes can use up to 27 gallons per load, while automatic dishwashers use only 4 to 10 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded. So use your dishwasher and be sure to load it to capacity.
 

Turn the water off while shaving and/or brushing your teeth.

 

Check every faucet in your home for leaks.  Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day!  Fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons a year.

Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank and watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl.  It’s not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks.  Fix it and you can save more than 30,000 gallons a year!
 

Use your water meter to detect hidden leaks.  Simply turn off all taps and water-using appliances.  Then check the meter after 15 minutes; if it moved, you have leak.

 

Replace older fixtures with water-saving devices.

When washing your car, use a bucket for washing and turn on the hose only for rinsing.
 

Take showers instead of baths.

 

Limit lawn watering – water your lawn only when necessary, and water before 10  a.m.

 

Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants to hold water for your plantings.

If you have a swimming pool, fill it during the night when demands on power and water production systems are less.