In the Bathroom & in the Laundry

In the Bathroom

  • Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons per month.
  • Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons a month.
  • Take a shower instead of taking a bath. Showers with low-flow shower heads use less water than taking a bath.
  • Turn off the water while you wash your hair to save up to 150 gallons a month.
  • Reduce the level of the water being used in a bathtub by one or two inches if a shower is not available.
  • When remodeling a bathroom, install a new low-volume flush toilet that uses only 1.6 gallons per flush.
  • Test toilets for leaks. Add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet to the water in the tank, but do not flush the toilet. Watch to see if the coloring appears in the bowl within a few minutes. If it does, the toilet has a silent leak that needs to be repaired.
  • Use a toilet tank displacement device such as a toilet dam or bag. Another alternative is filling a plastic bottle with stones or water, recapped, and placed in the toilet tank. These devices will reduce the volume of water in the tank but will still provide enough for flushing. Displacement devices are not recommended with new low-volume flush toilets.
  • Never use the toilet to dispose of cleansing tissues, cigarette butts, or other trash. This wastes a great deal of water and also places an unnecessary load on the sewage treatment plant or septic tank.
  • Do not use hot water when cold will do. Water and energy can be saved by washing hands with soap and cold water. Hot water should be added only when hands are especially dirty.
  • Do not let the water run when washing your hands. Water should be turned off while washing and scrubbing and be turned on again to rinse. A cutoff valve may be installed on the faucet.
  • When shaving, fill the lavatory basin with hot water instead of letting the water run continuously.
  • Place water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.

In the Laundry

  • Use your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full. This will save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
  • Washing dark clothes in cold water save both water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their colors.
  • When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.