Water Conservation

Useful Facts & Tips

Water conservation is something we all should practice. Except for the air we breathe, water is the single most important element in our lives. Here are some useful facts and simple suggestions that will help you understand more about water. They'll help you save hundreds, even thousands, of gallons per month without any great inconvenience.

The United State uses some 450 billion gallons of water every day. Only about 6% of that - 27 billion gallons - is taken by public water supply systems. The U.S. daily average of water pumped by those systems is 185 gallons per person.

We drink very little of our drinking water. Generally speaking, less than 1 % of the treated water produced by water utilities is actually consumed. The rest goes on lawns, in washing machines and down toilet and drains.

Every glass of water brought to your table in a restaurant requires another two glasses of water to wash and rinse the glass. Since nearly 70 million meals are served each day in U. S. restaurants, we'd save more if only 26 million gallons of water if only one person in four declined the complimentary glassful.

Indoor water use statistics vary from family to family and in various parts of the country, but they average out pretty reliably. Nearly 40% gets flushed down toilets, more than 30% is used in showers and baths, laundry and dishwashing take about 15%, leaks claim 5% or more, which leaves about 10% for everything else.

Water heaters often are set at 140 degrees. You can save energy by turning the temperature on your water heater down to 130 degrees. Don't go any lower because some harmful bacteria could survive.

Little leaks add up in a hurry. A faucet drip or invisible toilet leak that totals only two tablespoons a minute comes to 15 gallons a day. That's 5,460 wasted gallons a year!

Check every faucet in the house for leaks. A single dripping faucet can waste far more water in one day than one person needs for drinking in an entire week. Don't wait to fix a drip. DO IT NOW!

Is it possible your toilet has a secret leak? You can test it by putting 10 drops of food coloring in the tank. Don't flush for 15 minutes. If the colored water shows up in the bowl, the tank is leaking. Call your plumber.

What if there's a catastrophe? What if your water pipe bursts in your home? Do you know where your master shut off valve is located? You could experience terrible flooding and property damage, not to mention immense water waste, if you don't locate the valve and mark it for quick identification. Be sure to show everyone in the family where it is.

Water is a precious commodity and there is a limited supply in most communities. Remember to use only the amount you actually need. Encourage your family to keep looking for new ways to conserve water in and around your home.