 Dripping faucets and running toilets are more than a nuisance. They waste water
and cost money. A slow, steady drip can waste as much as 350 gallons
of water a month. Water saved is money earned! Water conservation can
also save on sewer fees and electric costs.
Did you know that all water is recycled? We drink the same water that the
dinosaurs did, and future generations will drink that same water. That's why
it's our job to use water wisely and protect water supplies whenever and
wherever possible. If we each save a small amount of water each day, our
combined savings will add up to millions of gallons each year.
Two thirds of the water used in the average home is in the bathroom, mostly for
flushing toilets, showers, and baths.
- Turn off the water when you are not using it. Don't let it run while you brush your teeth or shave.
- Flush the toilet less often. Put used tissues, trash, hair, paper towels, etc. in the wastebasket instead of flushing them.
- Fix leaks and drips. This is often simply a matter of changing a washer.
- Retrofit older plumbing fixtures with flow-reducing devices.
- Take shorter showers. Less than 5 minutes is adequate, any longer is recreation.
- Take baths. A partially filled tub uses less water than a short shower.
- Use appliances efficiently. Run full loads in the dish or clothes washer or, if your appliance has one, use a load selector.
- Buy a water saver. Select new appliances that are designed to minimize water use.
- Clean vegetables and fruit efficiently. Use a vegetable brush to expedite cleaning.
- Use garbage grinders as little as possible. Start a compost pile.
- Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. Avoid running the tap just to cool water for drinking or utilize that water for other uses such as watering plants.
- Water the lawn and garden only when necessary. Early morning or evening are the best times. Let grass grow higher in dry weather. Mulch your trees and plants. Avoid watering driveways and sidewalks.
- Deep-soak your lawn. Allow the moisture to soak down to the roots where it does the most good. A light sprinkling evaporates quickly.
- Plant drought resistant trees and plants. Many beautiful trees and plants thrive with less watering, particularly native species.
- Wash your car sensibly. Clean the car with a pail of soapy water and use the hose only for a quick rinse. Allow water to run into a hedge or shrub rather than down the gutter.
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Use a rain barrel.
The Portland Water District offers, at cost, water conservation kits. These
kits which include low-flow shower heads and toilet dams will help you reduce
your water usage, which could lower your water, sewer, and electric bills.
Click here to download a printable order form.
Leaks. Unseen or unfixed, they can drip hundreds, even thousands of gallons of
water wastefully down the drain. A little detective work several times a year
can catch these water thieves in the act and put then out of circulation.
- Faucets: Most leaks result from worn washers in household faucets and showerheads. These faucets, as well as seldom-used taps in the basement or storage rooms, should be checked periodically. Faucet leaks are usually caused by worn washers or "O" rings (for washerless faucets). Repairing faucet leaks is easy. All you have to do is turn off the water supply line to that faucet, replace the washer and turn on the line again. Any good do-it-yourself book will offer advice on this simple task. If you're not a do-it-yourselfer, have the work done by someone who knows how to do the job.
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Although water may not be seen or heard
running, your toilet may have a silent
leak.
- To test for a silent leak, drip a little food coloring into the tank. DO NOT FLUSH.
- Wait for about 10 minutes. If the food coloring appears in the toilet bowl, your toilet has a silent leak. It is probably located in or around the plunger ball or flapper valve at the bottom of the tank.
- These leaks are also easy to fix with parts from your hardware or home store.
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- Toilets: The toilet is one of the most common water wasters but its leaks tend to be less noticeable than faucet leaks. To determine if you toilet is leaking, look at the toilet bowl after the tank has stopped filling. If water is still running into the bowl, or if water can be heard running, your toilet is leaking.
Most toilet leaks occur at the over flow pipe or at the plunger ball inside the tank. To locate a toilet leak, take the tank lid off and flush. The water level should come up to about a half inch below the overflow pipe. Adjust the float level control screw, if necessary, so the valve shuts off the water at that level. If the valve itself is leaking, you may need a plumber to fix it.
- Outside Taps: Check the outside taps for leaking water, particularly during the summer sprinkling season. A hose mistakenly left dribbling away in the grass or garden can waste thousands of gallons of water over the course of a summer. Remember to close outside faucets tightly every time you shut off the water!
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