conserve water or risk drought!WAYS TO SAVE WATER
Did you know, that it was former New York Mayor, Ed Koch recommended showering with a friend.
Excerpt from http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/water/html/watsav.htmIN THE BATHROOM
IN THE KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY AREAS
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving. Save 4-10 gallons a day.
- Never use your toilet as a wastebasket. Save 3-7 gallons per flush.
- Don't take marathon showers. Five minutes will get you clean. Save 3-7 gallons per shower.
- Close your tub drain before turning on the water. Save 3 gallons or more.
- Fill your bathtub only halfway. Save 5 gallons or more. Saves in hot water costs, too.
HOW TO FIND AND FIX LEAKS
- Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes. Saves 8-15 gallons per day. Saves in hot water costs, too
- Run you dishwasher only when full. Save up to 15 gallons per load. Saves in hot water costs, too
- Wash vegetables and fruit in a basin. Use a vegetable brush to remove dirt. Save 2-4 gallons per day.
- Run your garbage disposal only when necessary. Save 2-7 gallons per minute.
- Run the washing machine only when full and adjust the water level setting carefully. Washing machines use 22-25 gallons per load. Save the water for 1-2 loads every week. Saves in hot water costs, too.
Faucets and Showerheads
Dripping, trickling, or oozing faucets and showerheads can waste from 75 to several hundred gallons of water a week depending on the size of the drip. Worn out washers are the main cause of these leaks and a new one generally costs about 25 cents.
Faucets typically use 2 to 7 gallons per minute. Installing a low-flow faucet aerator can reduce the flow by as much as 25% or up to a gallon and a half per minute. Be sure to remove your aerator periodically to clean the particles that may have collected in the screen.
A Simple Test for Leaks
A leaky faucet is pretty obvious. But hidden leaks in the toilet, under the sink, or behind a washing machine can waste a gigantic amount of water. And they could be damaging your floors or ceilings too. Take a reading of your water meter. Wait an hour, making sure no one uses any water in your home. Check it again. If the reading has changed, you have got at least one leak and you need to investigate.
Toilets
That trickling sound you hear in the bathroom could be a leaky toilet wasting 50 gallons of water a day or more. But sometimes it leaks silently. Try this:
Crush a dye tablet in its envelope and carefully empty the contents into the center of the toilet tank and allow it to dissolve. Wait about 8-9 minutes. Inspect the toilet bowl for signs of blue dye indicating a leak.If the dye has appeared in the bowl, your flapper or flush valve may need to be replaced. Parts are inexpensive and fairly easy to replace. If no dye has appeared in the 8 to 9 minutes time, you probably don't have a leak.
Excerpt from http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/water/html/watsav.htmMore LINKS::
http://www.townonline.com/metrowest/westborough/35269402.htm
http://www.savingwater.org/http://www.watercorporation.com.au/water-saving/content-home-water-saving.asp