Indoor Water Conservation

Save Water in the Bathroom
Faucets, Pipes & Toilet Leaks
A faucet drip or invisible leak in the toilet will add up to 15 gallons of water a day, or 105 gallons a week, which adds up to 5,475 gallons of wasted water a year. Once a year, check for toilet leaks. Remove the toilet tank cover and drip 10 drops of food coloring into the tank. After 15 minutes, check for color in the toilet bowl. If you see any color, your toilet has a leak and should be repaired immediately.

Showers & Baths
Simply taking shorter showers will save gallons of water. For long exposures to the water, a partially filled bath instead of a shower will use less water.

Flushing Trash
Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket. Using a wastebasket instead of the toilet for tissues and other bits of trash will save gallons of water that are otherwise wasted.

Leaky Faucets
A leaky faucet may simply need a new washer. Small faucet leaks can waste 20 gallons of water a day. Large leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.

Turn Off the Water
Don't let the water run when you brush your teeth, wash your face or hands, or shave. This can save 3 to 7 gallons per minute.

To Help Save Water in the Kitchen & Laundry
  • Fill your dishwasher
  • Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water whether it is full or just partially full of dishes, so be sure to fill it. Many dishwashers have a water saver cycle to save even more water.
Drinking Water
Keep drinking water in the refrigerator. Don't let the faucet run until the water cools down. Instead, keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator. Running faucets waste 3 to 7 gallons of water per minute. Before rinsing, put the sink stopper in place instead of running the water. If you need to use the garbage disposal, release the used sink water as the disposal is turned on.

Defrosting Food
When defrosting food, plan ahead to thaw it in the refrigerator or microwave oven instead of under running water.

Water Level for Laundry
Unlike your dishwasher, you can control the amount of water used by your clothes washers. Select the proper water level for each load of laundry. A front load washing machine uses 1/3 less water than a top loading machine.

Fish Tank Water
Use fish tank water on your household plants. Besides saving water, it's a good fertilizer as well.