Don't Lose Water to Leaks!

About 10% of homes within the United States have leaks that can waste around 90 gallons of water per day! On average, 13% of annual indoor residential water use is attributed to leaks! Identifying and fixing leaks in your home or business can lead to big water savings.

Check out these resources to learn more about leaks:

• EPA's Checklist for Chasing Down Leaks
• EPA's Leak Page
• The Practical Plumbing Handbook, scroll down to learn more about picking up a free Fix-a-Leak kit that includes this guide.

Free Fix-a-Leak Kits

The City offers Free Fix-a-Leak Kits that are equipped with tools that will help you get started in identifying and fixing leaks. The kit comes with a copy of The Practical Plumbing Handbook which is filled with useful information on fixing leaks and basic water-saving plumbing techniques. Stop by the City's Water Conservation Office to pick up your free kit!

Here's what comes in the kit: A Copy of The Practical Plumbing Handbook, valve stem bibb washer assortment pack, O-ring assortment package for most faucet types, plumber's silicone waterproof grease (food safe), Teflon tape, drip vial/rain gauge, toilet dye tablets, 5-minute shower timer and a faucet aerator.

In the average home, faucets account for 20% of indoor water use! 

There are simple water-using habits that can be adjusted to help reduce your daily water use. These may seem like small changes, but they can make a big difference over time.

Water Saving Tips

• Turn off the faucet while you're not using it (when you're soaping up your hands, shaving your face, brushing your teeth, etc.).
• Create a bath for your dishes, use only the amount of soap necessary, and make sure you've scraped off all food residue from your dishes before washing them.
• Avoid running water to thaw frozen foods and defrost in the refrigerator overnight instead.
• If you let the faucet run to heat up, capture that water in a glass and use it to water plants or for drinking.
• Install high efficiency faucets and/or faucet aerators to minimize faucet water-use. WaterSense® labeled efficient faucets and aerators use a maximum of 1.5 gallons of water per minute that perform as well, if not better, than standard faucets. By swapping your faucet out with a more efficient model, you can reduce your faucet's flow by 50%! The City will even give you free aerators if you stop by the Water Conservation office. Visit our Free Products Webpage to learn more

Toilets are the highest water-using fixture in your home.

In an average home, toilets account for 25% of indoor water consumption! Older, inefficient toilets can use as much as 5-7 gallons per flush and can be a major source of wasted water in many older homes. Replace your inefficient toilets by using the City's Toilet Rebate Program and get up to $250 to upgrade your toilets!

Water Saving Tips

• Check your toilet to make sure it is working properly. A running toilet can sometimes waste hundreds of gallons of water per day and can be repaired by simply replacing the toilet flapper.
  • Stop by our office to get FREE toilet leak detection dye tablets. Drop these tablets (or food coloring) into the tank of your toilet, wait 15 minutes without flushing. If the color starts to show up in the bowl, you have a leak that is likely attributed to a faulty toilet flapper.
  • Make sure the water level in the tank is not too high, that the fill valve is working properly, and that the flapper is not leaking. 
• Do not use your toilet as a trash can for tissues and other items - this is a waste of a flush.

Load Up Your Laundry! 

The average family washes almost 400 loads of laundry each year. Conventional clothes washers use about 40 gallons of water per load - this can be up to 16,000 gallons of water per year! High efficiency washers may use as little as 15 gallons of water per load which can provide an approximate water savings of about 10,000 gallons of water per year when compared to conventional clothes washers! Check out our Indoor Rebate Page and get up to $150 to upgrade your inefficient clothes washer with a clothes washer that meets the CEE tiered specifications.

Water Saving Tips

• Adjust the water level in the clothes washer to the amount needed for the load. Some newer models do this automatically.
• Always wash full loads when doing laundry.
• When it is time to replace your clothes washer, choose a high-efficiency washer with a low water factor. The smaller the water factor, the more efficient the clothes washer! Many well performing models have water factors below 4.0 - look for the lowest water factor available or a CEE tier specification of 1, 2, or 3 to achieve the highest water savings!

Considering a new water heater? Think efficiency!

When it comes to choosing a water heater, there are many different options to consider that can impact your home's energy and water efficiency. Check out the City's Sustainability webpage for many more energy efficient resources!

Water Efficiency 

The largest opportunity to use less hot water is to conserve water use throughout your household. Not only will this help decrease your water bill but it will also decrease the amount of energy needed to heat that water. A great place to start your water reduction efforts is by switching to more water efficient fixtures that typically use hot water (showerheads, faucets, clothes washers). Check out the City's Indoor Rebate Program to learn more about water efficient fixtures and appliances.

Additional tips for saving water with your water heater:

• Check your water heater for leaks.
• Consider installing a recirculating hot water delivery system. Recirculating hot water delivery systems provide nearly instant hot water. This reduces water wasted by decreasing the amount of time the water is running while waiting for the hot water to get from the heater to the faucet.
  • According to the 2016 Water Research Foundation Residential End Uses of Water Study; homes with hot water recirculating systems used about 12 percent less water for faucets than those without such systems.
• Insulate hot water piping. Insulating hot water piping reduces the amount of water wasted while waiting for hot water by keeping the water hotter and getting hot water to the point of use quicker. 

Energy Efficiency 

Water heaters make up around 20% of home energy costs. There are many factors to consider when choosing a water heater for your home. Selecting an efficient water heater along with selecting a size that will provide enough hot water while maximizing efficiency are key factors to consider. Learn more about different Energy Star rated products by visiting the Energy Star water heater page.

For more information on selecting a water heater visit the energy.gov water heater page.