| The average U.S. household consumes around | | | | If you limit your laundry to two full loads a week, |
| 146-thousand gallons of water every year, mostly | | | | you'll save more than 6,400 gallons of water annually. |
| within the home. Scientists predict water shortages in | | | | 5. Turn Off Faucets -- When you brush your teeth |
| thirty-six states by the year 2013. Analysts however | | | | for two minutes and leave the water running, you're |
| say that all is not bleak, and there much the nation | | | | using two gallons of water, morning and night -- more |
| can do to save around 3-trillion gallons of water | | | | during shaving. The average household wastes more |
| every year. | | | | than 16-thousand gallons of water a year this way. |
| A few simple changes in water consumption within | | | | 6. Use a Car-Wash -- Up to ten gallons of water a |
| the home can make a vast contribution to water | | | | minute is wasted every time you wash your car with |
| conservation. The payoff for consumers is they will | | | | a hose. Washing your car at a commercial car wash |
| reap significant savings in energy costs. Saving water | | | | saves nearly 10-thousand gallons of water a year, |
| means saving money, in lower water bills plus the | | | | plus the water at these stations is recycled. |
| cost of heating that water. | | | | 7. Sprinkle Less -- Rain sensors and sprinkler clocks |
| 10 Ways for Homeowners to Save Water & | | | | cut water use by about 15-percent. Most water is |
| Money | | | | wasted just before and after the rainy season when |
| | | | intermittent rains occur and sprinkling systems work |
| 1. Stop Leaks -- Studies have shown that leaking | | | | steadily. Shut-off devices save thousands of gallons |
| household devices and systems account for | | | | of water per month in every household. An irrigation |
| ten-percent of water consumption in the average | | | | controller also saves water by only watering plants |
| house. Check appliances, plumbing devices and | | | | when they need it. If you water manually, placing |
| irrigation systems for leaks. Test for leaks by turning | | | | sprinklers around your yard, set a timer to remind |
| off all fixtures and read your water meter. Keep all | | | | you to turn off sprinklers and not waste while over |
| water off for one hour and check again. The reading | | | | watering. |
| should not have changed. If it has, it means you have | | | | 8. Sweep More, Hose Less -- Using a broom for ten |
| a leak. You can test your toilet by putting a few | | | | minutes before you rely on water pressure from a |
| drops of food color in the tank, and waiting ten | | | | hose or power-washer to clean driveways, walks, |
| minutes. Check the water in the bowl; if the coloring | | | | patios and decks saves 1-thousand gallons of water |
| has entered the bowl, your toilet is leaking and needs | | | | every week. |
| repair. The typical household pays about 250-dollars | | | | 9. Chill -- Kitchen faucets flow at a rate of more than |
| annually for leaking water. | | | | a gallon a minute while you're waiting for water to |
| 2. Install Low-Flow Showerheads -- Pre-1992 shower | | | | get cold enough to drink. Keeping a pitcher of water |
| heads deliver water at 8 gallons per minute (GPM). | | | | in the refrigerator eliminates this waste, saving at |
| Newest models of low-flow shower heads use 1.6 to | | | | least one thousand gallons of water per year for |
| 1.85 GPM and save in two ways -- 45-thousand | | | | each person in your house. |
| gallons of water less per family of four each year, | | | | 10. Go Native -- Plants native to your area use less |
| plus the cost of energy to heat the water, calculates | | | | water and are less prone to disease. |
| roughly to an annual saving of 92-dollars. | | | | Drought-resistant shrubs are beautiful replacements |
| 3. Replace Old Toilets -- Toilets manufactured before | | | | for flowering perennial bushes which require large |
| 1994 use at least 3.5 gallons of water per flush (GPF). | | | | amounts of water. Become familiar with the principles |
| Newer, ultra low-flush toilets use 1.6 GPF, which is the | | | | of "Xeriscape," a government program which shows |
| current federal standard for all new toilet installations. | | | | how to create a beautiful landscape with a |
| Prices start at 100-dollars and these toilets usually | | | | low-maintenance, drought-resistant garden plan. |
| pay for themselves within four years. Homeowners | | | | Water conservation is a frame of mind, a way of |
| save an estimated 28-dollars per year with a | | | | thinking about our lives and our homes. It only take a |
| low-flush toilet. | | | | little effort to make a big difference, reap savings, |
| 4. Replace Old Clothes Washer -- New Watersense | | | | and earn the satisfaction that we are making 'every |
| and Energy Star-rated washing machines use an | | | | drop count. |
| average of 40% less water than traditional washers. | | | | |