Indoor Water Use Conservation

Water is essential to each of us every day. It is a limited resource, so we all need to rethink the way we use water on a daily basis. By following these water-saving tips inside your home, you can help save water every day.

Laundry Room

  • Use the washing machine for full loads only to save water and energy.
  • Install a water-efficient clothes washer (save 16 gallons per load).
  • Washing dark clothes in cold water saves water and energy, and helps your clothes retain their color.

Kitchen

  • Run the dishwasher only when full to save water and energy.
  • Install a water- and energy-efficient dishwasher (save 3 to 8 gallons per load).
  • Install aerators on the kitchen faucet to reduce flows to less than 1 gallon per minute.When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run. Fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water.
  • Dishwashers typically use less water than washing dishes by hand.
  • If your dishwasher is new, cut back on rinsing. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.
  • Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
  • Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons every time.
  • Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
  • Don't use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator.
  • Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap.
  • Cook food in as little water as possible. This also helps it retain more nutrients.
  • Select the proper pan size for cooking. Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary.
  • If you accidentally drop ice cubes, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.

Bathroom

  • Install low-flow shower heads (save 2.5 gallons).
  • Take 5-minute showers instead of 10-minute showers. Save 12.5 gallons with a low flow showerhead, and 25 gallons with a standard 5-gallon-per-minute showerhead.
  • Fill the bathtub halfway or less (save 12 gallons).
  • When running a bath, plug the bathtub before turning on the water. Adjust the temperature as the tub fills.
  • Install aerators on bathroom faucets (save 1.2 gallons per person, per day).
  • Turn water off when brushing teeth or shaving (save approximately 10 gallons per day).
  • Install a high-efficiency toilet (save 19 gallons per person, per day).
  • Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket.
  • Be sure to test your toilet for leaks at least once a year.
  • Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there's a leak. Fix it and start saving gallons.
  • Consider buying a dual-flush toilet. It has 2 flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste, and a full-flush for solid waste.
  • Plug the sink instead of running the water to rinse your razor and save up to 300 gallons a month.
  • Turn off the water while washing your hair and save up to 150 gallons a month.
  • When washing your hands, turn the water off while you lather.
  • Take a (short) shower instead of a bath. A bathtub can use up to 70 gallons of water.
Full Load of Laundry in the Washer