Toilets
About 75 percent of the water used inside a home is used in the bathroom. Half of that is used by the toilet. Frequently a toilet can leak silently, wasting hundreds of gallons per month. The main culprit for leaks is the flapper or stop valve at the bottom of the tank. If it fails, water constantly seeps into the bowl. You can test to see if the flapper is not working properly by adding a few drops of colored food dye into the tank. Wait about 15 minutes. If color shows up in the bowl, then the flapper is leaking and should be replaced. Please be sure to get the correct flapper for your particular toilet model. After the test, flush the toilet to prevent the dye from staining your fixture.

According to statistics, it is estimated that a toilet is flushed 20 times a day by a family of four. If you don't already have an ultra-low-flow toilet, that would be a wise first step to conserving. Older models use 3.5, 5 or 7 gallons per flush. The savings will depend on which model you have.

Maybe you have heard those horror stories of having to double flush each time with a low-flow toilet. Admittedly, early attempts at making low-flow toilets were dismal and resulted in repeated flushing by frustrated customers and a bad reputation. Newer models have largely overcome these and use only 1.6 gallons per flush.

Bathtubs
The average bathtub will hold 40 to 60 gallons when completely filled. However, you can save 20 gallons or more if you bathe in a half-filled tub.

Showers
Showering accounts for about 20 percent of the water used in the home. Taking a shorter shower can save 3 to 6 gallons a minute. Therefore, reducing shower time by 5 minutes could mean 15 to 30 gallons of water saved each time. If you install a newer, low-flow showerhead, you can reduce the flow to 2.4 gallons a minute and still provide an enjoyable shower. You can also add a shutoff device at the showerhead, so that you can turn off the shower while lathering up. Both the low-flow showerheads and the shutoffs are available for FREE from Water Resource Services by calling 272-6680.

Sinks
Turn it off! The chief source of waste at a sink is from turning it on and leaving it on while you brush your teeth or shave. Installing a low-flow aerator on the faucet may cut the flow by 5 gallons a minute, which will add up quickly. Free aerators are also available from Water Resource Services by calling 272-6680.

Back to Top

Sinks
The same tips apply to kitchen sinks, as those for bathroom sinks. But, it should be noted that, contrary to popular belief, hand-washing dishes is not as efficient as using a dishwasher. One study shows that hand-washing uses about 16 gallons. A standard dishwasher will average between 9.2 and 12.4 gallons, depending on the cycle used.

When you use a dishwasher, remember two additional water conservation tips: 1) avoid pre-rinsing; and 2) only turn it on when you have a full load.

Another simple way to save is to put a container of water in the refrigerator for drinking purposes instead of letting the water run until it gets cold. Putting a jug in the refrigerator overnight also will allow any chlorine in the water to dissipate.

Back to Top

Laundry accounts for about 10 percent of the daily household use of water. A typical washing machine uses from 28 to 43 gallons per load. That equals 196 to 301 gallons a week for the seven loads a week the average American washes. To conserve, only do full loads. If you need to replace your washing machine, you may want to consider some of the newer front loading machines that use about 30 percent less water than normal washers.

Back to Top

The area outside your home offers the greatest opportunities for saving water, because nearly half of the water used goes on lawns and landscaping materials. But much of this water is wasted, because it is not going where the homeowner intends it. Sprinkler heads may be improperly adjusted, so that sidewalks and roadways are watered. A broken sprinkler head can waste several hundred gallons of water during a single water cycle.

Ideally, watering should only be done when the lawn or plants show signs of needing it. If the leaves on your plants appear wilted or are curling, it's time to water. If your grass doesn't spring back in a few minutes after you walk on it, it's probably time to water.

You may be surprised by how much water your sprinkler system puts out. On your watering day, turn off other household water usage and take a reading of the water meter. Turn on your sprinkler system and let it run through a complete cycle for all zones and take another meter reading. The difference in readings will tell you how much water was used. Typical irrigation systems use between 10 and20 gallons a minute.

During the growing season, set your mower blades a little higher. Taller grass retains moisture better than short grass. For landscape plants, such as foundation plantings, one of the best methods of keeping them healthy and saving water is to install a low volume system around the plants.

Low-volume systems include soaker hoses, a drip system or micro-irrigation system. These low-volume systems currently are exempt from day-of- week restrictions by County government and can be used at any time. However, these cannot be used for lawn grass.

When you pick your landscaping materials, try to pick those that are natives and are drought-tolerant. Another way to lower water use is to reduce the amount of lawn area by installing paths, other landscaping plants, decks or patios, or Florida-friendly landscaping. Numerous books and pamphlets explain these subjects in detail.

Always be sure to follow the water restrictions in place by the County government and the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

For more information on current restrictions, visit our Water Restrictions webpage.

Back to Top

From: Colette Jaccard

1. Put a container beneath the condensation pipe of your heat pump to collect the water that drips continuously. You can collect between 10-15 gallons every day. Water flowers and plants with it. If you are home during the day, collect the water several times a day.
   
   
2. When waiting for the water in the shower to warm up, collect the water until it gets hot and water plants with the water saved. 4 to 5 gallons can be saved like that.
   
   
3. The dishwasher needs very hot water to clean dishes properly. Run the water until it gets hot before turning on the dishwasher. Collect that water and water plants with it.
   
   
4. Recycle rain water in pots, especially with the rains we have had. If the grass doesn't grow in some spots, put some top soil on it and pour recycled rain water on the spots. The grass grows very rapidly if it receives that extra water. (Editor's Note: Consider putting a piece of screen over containers to keep out mosquitoes or use the water frequently.)
   
   
5. Recycle the dog's water bowl if they don't drink their water every day and water plants with it.
   
   
6. Recycle the leftover suds in the bucket when you wash your car and wipe off window sills of outdoor windows, clean filters, wash off tools, doors, outdoor furniture, etc. with this water. Pour on the concrete in the garage to wash off dirt that accumulates in the garage.
   
   
7. If you must empty your pool because it risks running over, keep the water in a clean trash can and clean objects around the pool such as the filter, the pump, the sides of the pool cage, outdoor furniture. Wash your car with the water. It already has chlorine and if you want to add a small amount of vinegar, it's perfect for disinfecting too.
   
   
8. Instead of cleaning the toilets with clean water, use recycled water to flush bowl when you need to wash it. Add one cup of ammonia and let sit for a couple of hours.

Back to Top