The future of our water supply is in our hands. Together, we can conserve water for generations to come.
How plentiful is our water supply?
Since the earth's surface is over 70% water, water seems abundant; but
less than 2% of this water is available for human use. Our water
sources have always been finite. As the human population continues to
grow, we are simply using this precious resource too quickly.
Did you know that we drink very
little of our drinking water? Generally speaking, less than 1% of the
treated water produced by water utilities is actually consumed. The
rest goes on lawns, in washing machines, and down toilets and drains.
The more efficient use of our water resources through water conservation
and reuse holds a real potential to preserve limited water supplies and
to save real money.
Water Conservation Tips:
Water your yard thoroughly, but only as needed. Usually no more than 1 inch once a week.
Only water early in the morning or late in the evening to minimize evaporation.
Use drip irrigation for plants and gardens.
Collecting rainwater for landscape use is great for the plants and can save you water and money.
Install aerators to cut in half the amount of water used by each faucet.
Repair or replace dripping faucets, which can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water a year.
Install water-efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water consumption by 25% to 60% and save energy.
Check your toilet for leaks by using a leak-detection dye tablet. Leaks can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day!
Replace older toilets with water-efficient models and save up to 4,000 gallons of water a year.
Washing only full loads of laundry can save an average household more than 3,400 gallons of water each year.
Invest in an Energy Star-qualified clothes washer, which typically uses 50% less water and 37% less energy per load.
Here are some comparisons to show how much water you can save in your daily activities:
|
Activity
|
Conventional Use (Gallons)
|
Water-Conserving Use (Gallons)
|
|
Brushing Teeth
|
2 or more gallons
|
.25 gallons or less
Faucet off, use glass/cup
|
|
Shaving
|
20 gallons
|
1 gallon or less
Fill sink, turn tap off
|
|
Showering
|
50 gallons – 10 minutes
(Conventional showerhead)
|
12.5 gallons – 5 minutes
Water-saving showerhead
|
|
Washing Dishes By Hand
|
30 gallons with tap running
|
5 gallons
Fill sink, turn tap off
|
|
Using a Dishwasher
|
16-gallons – Partial load,
full cycle, pot scrubber cycle
|
9 gallons – Full load, light or short cycle
|
|
Washing Clothes
|
35 gallons per load – highest water level, partial load
|
25 gallons per load – lowest water level as needed for load
|
For more information on how you can help conserve and protect our precious water resources, visit:
Take Care of Texas.