TIPS FOR IN AND AROUND THE HOME
- Replace toilet and showerheads with water-efficient models.
- Repair leaky faucets indoors and outdoors, including leaking toilets (most water lost to leaks is due to toilet leakage which can be silent and undetectable. To determine if the toilet is leaking, put a few drops of food coloring or a dye capsule into the water in the toilet tank. Do NOT flush, but wait about 10 minutes, and if the dye appears in the toilet bowl, the toilet has a silent leak and should be fixed immediately.)
- Run only fully-loaded dishwashers.
- Wash only full loads of laundry, or change the water levels in accordance with the load size and use the shortest cycle possible for lightly soiled loads.
- Never leave water running to rinse dishes as you wash; as you brush your teeth; as you shave.
- Install faucet aerators on bathroom and kitchen sinks. These will save up to one-half the amount of water used by sinks with aerators.
- Take showers instead of baths as they typically use less water than filling up a tub.
- Insulate hot water pipes to avoid wasting water while waiting for it to “run hot”.
- Don’t over-water lawns and plantings to the point where the excess water runs into the street or bar ditch.
- Use your sprinkler systems wisely. Turn off during rainy days; set timers to water in early morning hours or late evening when there is less water evaporation. Use a sprinkler that emits large drops of water close to the ground rather than one that sprays a fine mist into the air.
- Cover pools and spas when not in use to lessen evaporation. In the summer in Texas a 30 ft by 15 ft pool can easily lose 1.5 inches of water a week, or 1,800 gallons of water a month! Decorative fountains should be turned off on windy days and during drought.
USING THESE TIPS AND BEING AWARE OF YOUR PERSONAL WATER USE ALL SUMMER (and all year long) WILL ENSURE ENOUGH QUALITY WATER FOR EVERYONE FOR YEARS TO COME!
Our office has “Top Water Smart Tips” and “Being Water-Wise Outdoors” brochures available to you free of charge when you come in to pay your bill.