Using water indoors is pretty straight forward, but installing low-flow water fixtures inside your home could reduce your indoor water use by up to 54%!

• In The Bathroom
• In The Kitchen
• In The Laundry Room

SSWD offers free Water-Wise House Calls to assist customer in evaluating their water use. Sign up for a complementary Water-Wise House Call today!

Are you wondering how much water you use or should use?  The Alliance for Water Efficiency, a national non-profit advocate for water conservation and use efficiency, has created the Home Water Works water calculator to give you an idea of about how much water your home should be using.  Click on this link: Home Water Works Calculator to calculate your estimated home water use.  You can use this information to compare your actual water use from your water bill.  Please feel free to contact SSWD if you have any questions.  

In The Bathroom  

Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth or shaving.

• Turning off the water while brushing your teeth can save up to 2.2 gallons of water per minute.

Replace a high flush toilet with a high efficiency toilet.

• Water efficient toilets have made big strides to use as little water as possible while maintaining flush performance. Some toilets use just 0.8 gallons per flush! Replacing an older high-volume toilet with an ultrahigh efficiency toilet could save up to 19 gallons of water per person, per day!
• Do not use the toilet as a waste basket.  Save up to 1.28 - 3.5 gallons per flush.

Install low flow showerheads.

• Installing low flow showerheads can save, on average, up to 10 gallons of water for a 10 minute shower.
• Reducing your shower time to 5 minutes will also save 5 more gallons of water.

Install low flow faucet aerators.

• Installing low flow faucet aerator can save up to 1.2 gallons per minute.
• Repairing leaking faucets can save up to 20 gallons per day.

Test for and repair toilet leaks.

• Repairing toilet leaks can save 30-50 gallons of water per day.
• Pick up dye tablets at SSWD's administrative office. Add the tablets to the water in the toilet tank and do not flush the toilet. Return in 15 minutes and look into the toilet bowl to see if the dye color is present. If color appears, the toilet has a leak.

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In the Kitchen  

Install a water and energy efficient dishwasher.

• Installing a water efficient dishwasher can save 3-8 gallons per load.

Run full loads in the dishwasher.

• Running full instead of half loads can save 2-4.5 gallons per load.

If washing and rinsing dishes by hand, use a stopper in the sink(s) or wash and rinse basins rather than running water.

• Turning off the water and using a rinsing basin can save up to 1.8 gallons of water per minute.

Running water from the faucet until cool is wasteful. Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator.

• Using a water jug for cold water instead of running the faucet can save up to 2.5 gallons per minute.

Clean fruits and vegetables in a small basin of water rather than under running water.

• Cleaning fruits and vegetables in a small basin instead of under running water can save up to 2.5 gallons per minute.

In the Laundry Room

Wash full loads in your washing machine.

• Washing full loads of laundry can save 15-45 gallons of water.

Replace your old washer with a high efficiency clothes washing machine that uses less water.

• Installing a new high efficiency clothes washer can save up to 15 gallons per load.

Ensure your hot water heater is working properly and set according to your home’s unique set up.

• Use insulating blankets, recirculating hot water pumps, and/or pipe insulation to ensure optimal water savings is achieved.

Routinely check your indoor fixtures and appliances for leaks.

• Leaky toilets can waste more water than any other fixture in the house. A leaking toilet can waste 30-50 gallons of water per day. It is recommended that you check your toilets for leaks every 3-4 months.
• A slow faucet drip can waste up to 15 - 20 gallons per day. Most faucet leaks are easy to repair.

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