Posted: May 4, 2018, 11:53 am
Our area receives between 30 and 70 inches of rain a year. Unfortunately, rainfall is highest in the winter months when demand is low. It is the high summer demand that impacts water resources, both surface and ground water. Here are some tips to help you conserve your summer water use and keep your bills low.
- Go to the car wash. Washing a car at home can easily use 100 gallons of water; commercial car washes often use only 40 gallons or less of fresh water, which they recycle.
- Rethink your old inefficient toilets. Toilets account for nearly 30 percent of indoor water use. Replace an older toilet and save up to 13,000 gallons of water every year.
- Check for leaks. According to the EPA, leaks can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water every year in an average household from toilets, faucets, showerheads, outdoor faucets and hoses.
- Water your yard in the morning or evening. Water evaporates quickly when the sun is high. A drip irrigation system works better than sprinklers, as it sends targeted amounts of water exactly where you want it.
- Shorten your shower. Trimming just two minutes off your shower can save up to 1,750 gallons of water per person each year. Save more by turning the water off while you soap and/or shave.
- Use the dishwasher. Hand-washing dishes takes 27 gallons of water compared to just 3 gallons for a new Energy Star-rated dishwasher.