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• TOILETS Put displacement devices like weighted plastic bottles in the toilet tank. Upgrade to ultra-low volume 1.6-gallon toilets, a composting toilet, or install an adjustable toilet flapper. • SHOWERS Take a “one song shower” – try to take shorter showers by timing yourself based on the length of a song. Install water-saving showerheads, shower timers, and low-flow faucet aerators. • SINKS & FAUCETS Fit household faucets with aerators. Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush or when shaving. Don’t leave the water running when hand washing dishes. • WASHERS Only run the dishwasher and clothes washer when they are fully loaded. Use a dishwasher instead of handwashing dishes – the EPA estimates they use half as much water. Look for HE or rated appliances. • Water your lawn and garden during cooler parts of the day. • Position your lawn sprinkler so the water lands on the lawn and not on paved areas. • Don’t leave your sprinkler running all day. • Use a garden hose with a shut off nozzle. • Cover your swimming pool to cut loss of water by evaporation. • Use a broom, not a hose to clean your sidewalks and driveway. • Insulate your pipes and electric water heater to reduce the time needed for water to heat up • Check for leaks in and around your house and repair them as soon as possible. • Reuse water when possible. - You can use grey water (the water draining from your houses sinks baths tubs and laundry machines) to water your plants. - You can also use rain barrels or a catchment system to collect rain water from your roof to water your plants. Rain barrels can be purchased at DPW. For more information please call [PHONE REDACTED] or [PHONE REDACTED]. These simple changes can save you money by reducing water use by thousands of gallons. Click Here to Watch a Video About Water Conservation Click Here to Read More About Water Conservation Updated July 2018 ---PAGE BREAK--- Protecting the Environment Water is a limited resource that humans are depleting. Earth is a self-contained ecosystem, meaning Earth always has, and will always have, the same amount of water, but the population growth puts a strain on water supplies and clean water is reduced by the pollution and contamination we create. Saving Energy Wasting water wastes electricity. The biggest use of electricity in most cities is supplying water and cleaning it up after it's been used. Water heaters account for about 25% of home energy use. To cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient water heater. Saving Money The table below shows an estimation of how much money you could save on your water bill by trying different water conservation methods. Method Estimated Gallons Saved Annually Potential Money Saved Annually Efficient Lawn Watering 12,000 $450 – $1,800 Fixing Leaks 7,300 $275 – $1,100 Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or shaving 1,095 $40 - $165 Running only full washing machines and dishwashers 6,000 $225 - $900 One or two minutes less in the shower 8,400 $315 – $1,260 Purchasing a dual flush toilet or installing a dual flush converter 15,000 $560 – $2,250 Energy Star Certified Washers 5,000 $190 - $750 Swapping a 5.5 gallon per minute toilet unit for one that uses 2.5 gallon per minute 27,000 $1,015 – $4,050 Updated July 2018