Water Saving Products

There are a number of different water conservation products on the market today. If it isn’t quite time to replace your washing machine for a more efficient model, you may consider adding a low-cost aerator to your faucets.

Washing your laundry can use 30% less water depending on the efficiency of your machine. A load of laundry in a high efficiency machine needs less than 28 gallons of water, compared to the 70 gallons needed for the average machine. By washing only full loads or at least matching the setting to the size of the load, you’ll increase the saving even further.

Low flush toilets can reduce water consumption by 60% compared to less-efficient models. Switching out an old toilet that uses 3.5 gallons per flush to one that uses only 1.28 gallons could save $90 a year for a family of four. That would amount to $2,000 of savings over the toilet’s lifetime.

Low flow fixtures can bring savings of 25-60%. Low flow showerheads with 2.5 gpm can be the aerating type making a mist-like spray or the laminar-flow type creating less steam with individual streams of water. If available, select one with a shut-off valve to be able to stop the water intermittently. Low flow faucets or aerators may restrict flow rates to 2.2 gpm for kitchen faucets or 1.5 to 0.5 gpm for bathroom faucets.

Another way to reduce the water pressure is through pressure-reducing valves. These valves are installed after the water meter reducing the pressure from the water supply main decreasing overall water consumption by about 6% a year. Other benefits of reduced pressure include reducing leaks in water pipes, water heaters and faucets.

Water Conservation Tips

Here are a few water conservation tips that will greatly reduce water consumption once they become habits.

Prevent water waste by checking for any leaking faucets or toilets. A faucet that leaks just one dip per second, if not fixed, will waste 3,000 gallons of water every year. If it’s hot water, it can be costing you $1 each month in energy and water. Your water meter should remain unchanged after a span of time when you are not using your water. If it increases, chances are you have a leak.

Instead of taking daily baths, consider taking showers. The average tub takes 70 gallons of water whereas a 5-minute shower only uses 10 – 25 gallons. Even if you linger in the shower for 10 minutes, you’ll still be consuming less water than a tubful. Installing a low-flow showerhead will save even more water.

Promote water conservation by turning off the tap when not immediately using it, like hand washing dishes, shaving, or brushing your teeth. A typical faucet runs between 2 to 2.5 gallons of water per minute. A family of four can save up to 32 gallons a day if each person remembers to turn off the tap while brushing their teeth. The savings will add up to nearly 12,000 gallons of water a year. Imagine what could be saved if that behavior was incorporated into all water-consuming activities.

Considering these water conservation facts and the projection of water rates increasing 10% a year, utilizing just one water saving product or implementing just one water conservation tip will be a step towards conserving water for future generations.