Water Conservation

Water conservation is not just for drought! Australia has experienced some exceptionally dry periods during the past several years, and the word drought has brought out the water conservationist in all of us. It's important to remember that water conservation is not just for times of water shortage.

On average each person in Australia currently uses about 160-280 litres of water every day and much of this is wasted. Sound water use practices reduce the amount of stress that we place on our resources, both by limiting water withdrawals and by decreasing wastewater discharges. Conserving water reduces wear and tear on major infrastructure such as water and wastewater treatment plants and the distribution systems that deliver water to consumers, and can postpone or eliminate the need for making major investments in new infrastructure. Using less water helps us to become more flexible during times when there is a water shortage. Conserving water is simple and inexpensive!

Tips for saving water inside home

Approximately sixty percent of total household water supply is used inside the home in three main areas: the kitchen, the bathroom and the laundry room. Follow these tips to reduce water use indoors:

•    Make sure all faucets are tightly turned off and not leaking: A leaking faucet could waste up to 4,000 gal/year

•    Replace old faucets with new water-efficient models or install aerators to reduce flow.

Bathroom 

•     Install low flow toilets or toilet dams

•     Flush toilets only when necessary, and never use a toilet as a wastebasket.

•     Test all toilets regularly for leaks: A leaking toilet could waste up 100 gal/day

•     Take shorter showers. Spend five minutes or less in the shower.

•     Prefer Showers over bath as showers use less water than baths.

•     Replace old showerheads: Low flow showerheads can save 3 gal/min

•     Fix all leaky toilets, faucets and pipes. Check for a leaky toilet by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If the color appears in the bowl after 30 minutes, the toilet is leaking.

•     Check the water supply lines under your sink for damp spots or bulges in the hose, which may indicate a leak.

•     Install a low-flow showerhead.

•     Replace an old toilet with a high-efficiency toilet, which can pay for itself over time in water savings.
  

•     Insulate your water heater and water pipes. Doing so will save energy and also will cut down on the amount of water that goes down the drain while waiting for hot water to flow. 

•     Catch water in a bucket or watering can while waiting for hot or cold water to run. Use the water on plants or use it to flush a toilet.

•     Turn off the water while shaving, brushing your teeth and lathering in the shower.

•     Shave with a small amount of water in the sink instead of running water.

•     Replace or install a low-flow aerator on your bathroom faucet.

Kitchen and Laundry   

•     Wash only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Try to wash two fewer loads per week.

•     Don’t prerinse dishes before loading into dishwasher

•     Use a dishpan or plug the sink when hand-washing dishes

•     Defrost food in refrigerator instead of using running water: A running faucet uses about a gallon of water per minute

•     Wash vegetables and fruits in a bowl or basin using a vegetable brush instead of letting water run.  Use the extra water on plants.

•     Soak dishes that need to be pre-rinsed instead of running them under water.

•     Scrape dishes instead of rinsing them off before putting them in the dishwasher.

•     Chill drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the faucet until the water is cold.

•     Defrost food in the refrigerator, not in a pan of water on the counter or in the sink. 

•     Run garbage disposals only when necessary. Compost food waste instead. 

•     Replace your inefficient clothes washer with a high-efficiency model. Denver Water offers customers rebates for buying high-efficiency washing machines. 

•     Replace or install a low-flow aerator on your kitchen faucet.
  

•     Keep a container of water in the refrigerator rather than waiting for cold water from faucet

•     Run full loads of laundry instead of many small loads

•     Consider energy and water efficiency when purchasing new laundry machines: Newer models use 40% less water and can save up to 6000 gal/year

•     Consider water use when purchasing a new dishwasher: New water and energy efficient models use 20% less water