What You Can Do
In the bathroom...
Never use your toilet as a wastebasket
Don't let the water run while shaving or brushing
your teeth
Take short showers instead of tub baths
Turn off the water flow while soaping or shampooing
Before pouring water down the drain, consider
other uses for it, such as watering a plant or
garden
In the laundry...
Use the appropriate water level or load size
selection on the washing machine
Wash full loads whenever possible
In the kitchen...
Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of
letting the faucet run until the water is cool
Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin
Use a vegetable brush to clean produce
• Do not use water to defrost frozen foods; thaw
them in the refrigerator overnight
• Use a dishpan for washing and rinsing dishes
Add food wastes to your compost pile instead of
using the garbage disposal
• Operate the dishwasher only when completely
full
Outdoors...
* Sweep driveways, sidewalks, and steps rather
than hosing them off
Wash the car from a bucket, or consider using a
commercial car wash that recycles water
When using a hose, control the flow with an
automatic shutoff nozzle
Avoid purchasing water toys that require a con-
stant stream of water
• Lower the water level in your pool to reduce the
amount of water splashed out
Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation when the
pool is not in use
Take a tour of the Water Saver Home
To learn more about what you can do in and around your home to use water
more efficiently, take a virtual tour of the Water Saver Home at www.h2ouse.org
on the Internet. With bold graphics, this web site provides user-friendly infor-
mation on water use inside and outside the average home. \bu can learn about
water-saving devices, opportunities to save water and energy, tips for buying efficient products, mainte-
nance and repair, and much more!
The Water Saver Home was developed by the California Urban Water Conservation Council in coopera-
tion with EPA. The goal of the web site is to help homeowners learn how to use water efficiently.
A Message from the Administrator
Christine Todd Whitman
I believe water is the biggest
environmental issue we face in
the 21st Century in terms of both
quality and quantity. In the 30
years since its passage, the Clean
Water Act has dramatically
increased the number of
waterways that are once again safe for fishing and
swimming. Despite this great progress in reducing
water pollution, many of the nation's waters still
do not meet water quality goals. I challenge you to
join President Bush and me to finish the business
of restoring and protecting our nation's waters for
present and future generations.
Por More Information
For more information, contact EPA's Office of
Wastewater Management or visit EPA's web site
at www.epa.gov/owm/genwave.htm. For more
information on ENERGY STAR clothes washers, visit
www.energystar.gov/products/clotheswashers.
may also contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Wastewater Management
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20460
202-564-0478
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water (4101 M)
EPA800-F-02-001 • June 2002
In celebration of the 30th anniversary
of the Clean Water Act, EPA presents
o
o
THE YEAR OF
O I AN WATHt
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Using Water Wisely in the Home
Water efficiency plays an important role in
protecting water sources and improving
water quality. By using water wisely, you can save
money and help protect our environment.
hough 80 percent
of the earth's
~Ui iuce is covered by
water, only 0.6 percent
(6/1000) is available to be
used in the home.
• efficiency means using less water to pro-
vide the same benefit. There are many ways to
increase water efficiency in your home—detecting
and fixing
leaky faucets,
installing
high-efficiency
clothes washers
and toilets,
and water-
ing the lawn
and garden with the minimum amount of water
needed. Since watering the landscape with an
automatic irrigation system is likely the single larg-
est use of water in the home, you can dramatically
improve water efficiency by using proper irrigation
and scheduling techniques such as cycling the
sprinklers.
Using water-saving techniques not only can save
you hundreds of dollars per year but also can
reduce the amount of pollutants entering rivers,
lakes, and streams. In addition, efficient water use
can reduce water and wastewater treatment costs
and the amount of energy used to treat, pump, and
heat water. And it could help to ease the burden
on water resources during drought conditions.
Did you know?
• Fixing a toilet that silently leaks 500 gallons of
water per day might save nearly $ 1,000 per year.
• Installing high-efficiency plumbing fixtures and
appliances can help a typical family
of four reduce indoor water
How much water do we use?
Clothes washer
21.7%
use by one-third, save
about $95 per year
on their water
and sewer bill,
and cut energy
use by as much
as 6 percent.
Currently, about
8 percent of U.S.
energy demand is used
to treat, pump, and heat water.
Using less water can lower energy demand,
thereby reducing the amount of pollutants
released from power plants.
Water heating accounts for 19 percent of home
energy use. If 20 percent of U.S. homes used
high-efficiency clothes washers, the national
energy savings would be enough to supply the
needs of more than 1 million homes.
Communities that institute broad water efficiency
programs have been able to reduce overall water
use by up to 20 percent, not only conserving water
supplies and reducing water pollution but also cut-
ting costs for new water and wastewater facilities.
How much do we spend on water?
The typical family of four spends $820 per
year on water and sewer charges, but costs
can be twice that or more in some places because
of higher rates or greater lawn watering and other
outdoor uses. But that's just part of the cost.
American households also spend an
average of $230 per year to heat
water. By changing appliances
like the dishwasher and
clothes washer and inef-
ficient fixtures like shower-
heads and toilets, a family
of four can save as much
as $210 per year in water,
sewer, and energy costs.
Other domestic
2.2%
How much water do we use?
ome water use varies considerably depend-
ing on household size, water use practices,
climate, type of plumbing fixtures and appliances,
and a number of other factors. The two largest water
users are toilets and clothes washers. Note that nearly
14 percent of the water the typical homeowner pays
for is never used—it leaks down the drain.
Outdoor water use averages about 117 gallons per
home per day, or about 37 percent of total home
water use. But outdoor use varies considerably by
climate zone and can be two to three times greater
than indoor water use in hot, dry areas of the
country. How we use water outdoors might offer
many opportunities for considerable savings.
Top Five Ways to Save
There are many ways to save water in and around
your home. Here are a few that might get the best
results.
Stop leaks Check all water-using appliances, equipment,
and other devices for leaks. Running toilets,
steady faucet drips, home water treatment
units, and outdoor sprinkler systems are
common sources of leaks.
Replace The major water use inside the home is toilet
old flushing. If your home was built before
toilets 1992 and you haven't replaced your toilets
recently, you probably could benefit from
installing high-efficiency toilets that use
1.6 gallons or less per flush. A family of
four can save 14,000 to 25,000 gallons of
water per year by making this change.
Replace Washers are the second largest water user
old in your home. If your clothes washer is old,
clothes you should consider purchasing a model
washers with EPA's ENERGY STAR certification.
ENERGY STAR washers use 35 to 50 percent
less water and 50 percent less energy
per load.
Plant the
right
plants
Whether you're installing a new landscape
or changing the existing one, select plants
that are appropriate for your climate and
use a suitable landscape and irrigation
design. Consider using xeriscaping, a land-
scaping technique designed to create a
visually attractive landscape by using
low-water-use and drought-resistant grass,
plants, shrubs, and trees. If maintained
properly, a xeriscape can use less than
one-half the water of a traditional landscape.
Provide
only
the water
plants
need
Automatic landscape irrigation systems are
a home's biggest water user. To make sure
you're not overwatermg, adjust your irrigation
controller at least once a month to account
for changes in the weather and install a ram
shutoff device, soil moisture sensor, or
humidity sensor to better control irrigation.
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