Water Conservation: How To Conserve And Save On Indoor Water Usage

Here is how to save on indoor water usage and how you can lower your water consumption.

Fix leaky faucets. Check your faucets periodically for drips -- a single leaking faucet can waste thousands of gallons of water a year. Save 20 gallons per day.

Turn off the water when you brush your teeth or shave. Don't leave the tap running when you don't need it. Save 3 gallons per day

Shorten your showers by one or two minutes. Taking showers rather than baths is the simplest way to conserve water and energy: A 3-minute shower uses one fourth the water of a bath. A low-flow showerhead can achieve even greater savings. Older showerheads spray out 5 gallons or more every minute. Newer models can cut that usage to 2.5 gallons per minute or less, which can save even a two-person household more than 10,000 gallons a year. A showerhead with an on-off lever lets you turn the water off temporarily without changing the temperature setting. You don't need the water running while you soap yourself up or wash your hair. Installing a new showerhead is a simple do-it-yourself job. Save 5 gallons per day

Low-flow toilets, which are now required in all new construction, use 1.6 gallons per flush versus 3.5 gallons for older models. By placing a plastic soda bottle full of water in the tank of an older toilet you can cut the amount of water per flush without the trouble and expense of replacing the toilet. Some advocate the "yellow mellow - brown down" method where urine is not flushed. Hmm, you make your own call for the water conservation option.

When you handwash dishes, rinse in a basin of clear water, not under a running tap.

Wash only full loads of laundry. Save 15 and 50 gallons per load

Talk to your family and friends about saving water.

If everyone does a little to conserve water, we all benefit a lot.