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Top Actions for Residents
In the Kitchen
- Don’t leave the water running.
Turn off the tap while washing dishes. Fill the sink or a pail to wash and rinse dishes.
- Check faucets and pipes for leaks.
Even a small leak from worn washers can waste more than 50 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.
- Equip faucets with aerators.
Installing aerators on kitchen and bathroom sinks can reduce indoor water use by about 4%. Inquire about FREE aerators from your local water utility.
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In the Laundry
- Upgrade to an efficient clothes washing machine.
High-efficiency clothes washers can reduce water and energy use by 40%. Many Bay Area water utilities provide cash rebates of up to $200 for residential customers who purchase qualifying efficient clothes washer models.
- Wash only full laundry loads.
You don’t need to do laundry every day. Wait until you have a full load of laundry to run the clothes washing machine and you’ll save on water, wastewater and energy costs.
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In the Bathroom
- Detect leaks.
Do you hear the toilet running or your faucet dripping? You could be wasting thousands of gallons per month. Contact your water utility for information on locating your water meter and detecting plumbing leaks using meter readings. Conducting a dye-test in toilet tanks can identify costly silent leaks.
- Check your toilet flapper.
Over time the flapper in your toilet tank becomes worn and does not work effectively to stop leaks into to the toilet bowl. Flappers can be easily found at hardware stores and are simple to install. Many Bay Area water utilities provide toilet flappers for FREE.
- Install low-flow showerheads.
Replace older showerheads with new efficient models that use 2.5 gallons per minute or less. Older models can flow up to 7 gallons per minute and can waste thousands of gallons per month. Today’s efficient models still produce great water pressure and many Bay Area water agencies provide them for FREE.
- Replace your old toilet.
Toilets are the largest water user in the home. New high-efficiency toilets (HETs) flush at 1.28 gallons or less (older models use up to 7 gallons per flush), and HETs now perform as well as, or better than older models. The Santa Clara Valley Water District offers a rebate of up to $125 for the purchase of new, efficient HETs. Our toilet replacement pages have step-by-step instructions on how to remove and replace a toilet yourself.
- The toilet is not a wastebasket.
You waste up to 7 gallons of water each time you flush trash down the toilet, and in addition to the potential for plumbing blockages, some trash are pollutants that should not be introduced to the sewer system.
- Change everyday habits.
Turn off the tap. Running the water while brushing teeth and shaving can waste hundreds of gallons every month. Take shorter showers. A running shower can waste 3-7 gallons per minute.
- Be a water wise tenant.
Do you rent? Help save water by reporting leaking toilets, facets and irrigation systems to your property manager or landlord.
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Outside & In the Yard
- Plant drought tolerant species.
Reduce outdoor watering needs by planting species appropriate for the Bay Area’s dry climate.
- Contact your local water utility for information on low water use plants.
- Water your lawn only when it needs it.
Over watering the lawn is a common wasteful practice. Step on your lawn. If the grass springs back up when you remove pressure, it doesn’t need watering.
- Deep-soak your lawn.
Remember to water long enough to deep soak grass roots – this will reduce the frequency of watering schedules. A light sprinkling will sit on the surface of the turf and easily evaporate.
- Water during the cool part of the day.
Reduce evaporation by watering lawns and plants only at night or early morning before dawn.
- Place mulch around trees and plants.
A layer of mulch will slow the evaporation of moisture from your landscape and inhibit the growth of weeds.
- Install shut-off nozzles on all garden hoses.
Make sure your garden hose has an automatic shut-off. Many Bay Area water agencies provide shut-off nozzles for FREE.
- Sweep sidewalks and driveways.
Hosing down pavement around your home can waste hundreds of gallons. A broom is the proper tool to clean these areas.
- Don’t water the pavement.
Position sprinkler heads to water lawns and gardens, not the pavement surrounding your landscape.
- Check for broken sprinkler heads and irrigation tubing.
Broken sprinkler heads waste water and can potentially damage your landscape. Inspect these systems at least once a month.
- Don’t let water run while washing the car.
Clean the car with a bucket of soapy water. Use the hose only to rinse it off.
(Source: Water Saving Hero Campaign)
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