United States Office of Water EPA832-F-99-082
Environmental Protection (4204) April 2000
Agency www.epa.gov/owm/genwave.htm
Using Water Efficiently:
Ideas for Residences
Efficient water use can have major environmental, public health, and economic bene-
fits by helping to improve water quality, maintain aquatic ecosystems, and protect
drinking water resources. Efficient use of water, through behavioral, operational, or
equipment changes, if practiced broadly can help mitigate the effects of drought.
Efficiency measures can also save the homeowner money on their water and energy bills. This
list of measures is not meant to be comprehensive, but rather a starting point. Other sources
of information on water efficiency are available through ERA'S web site
(http://www.epa.gov/OWM/genwave.htm), and innumerable other sources, some of which may
be accessed through the EPA web site, or through WaterWiser, The Water Efficiency
Clearinghouse (http://www.waterwiser.org).
Bathroom — where over half of all water use inside a house takes place:
• Do not let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
• Take short showers instead of tub baths. Turn off the water while soaping or shampooing.
• If you must use a tub, close the drain before turning on the water and fill the tub only half full.
Bathe small children together.
• Never use your toilet as a waste basket.
Kitchen and Laundry — simple practices that save a lot of water:
• 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.
• Do not use water to defrost frozen foods; thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
• Add food wastes to your compost pile instead of using the garbage disposal.
• Wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the
washing machine.
Equipment — homes with high-efficiency plumbing fixtures and appliances
save about 3O% of indoor water use and yield substantial savings on water,
sewer, and energy bills:
• Consider purchasing high-efficiency toilets, or place a plastic container filled with water in the
tank of your conventional toilet. Be sure it does not interfere with operation of the toilet's flush
mechanisms.
• Install low-flow faucet aerators and showerheads.
• Consider purchasing a high efficiency washing machine which can save over 50% in laundry
water and energy use.
• Repair all leaks. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day. To detect leaks in the toilet, add
food coloring to the tank water. If the colored water appears in the bowl, the toilet is leaking.
Toilet repair advice is available at .
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Landscape Irrigation — depending on climate, up to 75% of a home's
total water use during the growing season is for outdoor purposes
(During drought conditions outdoor watering restrictions may be
imposed, so some of the following tips will not apply.):
• Detect and repair all leaks in irrigation system.
• Use properly treated wastewater for irrigation where available.
• Water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day (early morning is best). Do not
water on windy days.
• Water trees and shrubs, which have deep root systems, longer and less frequently than
shallow-rooted plants that require smaller amounts of water more often. Check with the local
extension service for advice on watering needs in your area.
• Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
• Use soaker hoses or trickle irrigation systems for trees and shrubs.
• Install moisture sensors on sprinkler systems.
• Use mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation from the soil surface and
cut down on weed growth.
• Remove thatch and aerate turf to encourage movement of water to the root zone.
• Raise your lawn mower cutting height - longer grass blades help shade each other, reduce
evaporation, and inhibit weed growth.
• Minimize or eliminate fertilizing, which promotes new growth needing additional watering.
• When outdoor use of city or well water is restricted during a drought, use the water from the
air conditioning condenser, dehumidifier, bath, or sink on plants or the garden. Don't use
water that contains bleach, automatic-dishwashing detergent or fabric softener.
Other Outdoor Uses:
• Sweep driveways, sidewalks and steps rather than hosing off.
• Wash the car with water from a bucket, or consider using a commercial car wash that recy-
cles water.
• When using a hose, control the flow with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
• Avoid purchasing recreational water toys which require a constant stream of water.
• Consider purchasing a new water-saving swimming pool filter.
• Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation when pool is not being used.
• Do not install or use ornamental water features unless they recycle the water. Use signs to
show the public that water is recycled. Do not operate during a drought.
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