City Drinking Water

Water Saving Tips

Here are some tips to help you save water:

• Minimize use of kitchen sink garbage disposals. They require lots of water to operate. Start a compost pile as an alternate method to dispose of food waste, which will also give a boost to your garden.
• In the garden and yard: Water during the early parts of the day. Avoid watering when it’s windy. Water your lawn only when it needs it. When sprinkling, place an empty tuna can in the yard; when full, turn off the water. Add organic matter and use efficient watering systems for shrubs, flower beds and lawns. Plant drought-resistant shrubs and plants.
• Replacing an 18-liter flush toilet with an ultra-low volume 6-liter model provides 70% savings in water flushed and cuts indoor water use by about 30%.
• Washing a sidewalk or driveway with a hose uses about 50 gallons of water every 5 minutes. As much as 150 gallons of water can be saved when washing a car by turning the hose off between rinses. Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.
• Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for full loads only. In most cases, pre-rinsing dishes is not necessary. With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle; it uses an extra 5 gallons of water for an extra rinse. Replace old clothes washers with new Energy Star rated washers using 35 - 50% less water and 50% less energy. Are you in the market for a new clothes washer? Consider a water-saving front load model.
• Watch how much water you use when doing dishes, brushing teeth, showering and washing your car.
• Fix leaks. A faucet that drips can waste up to 3,280 gallons a year.
• Reuse water when you can: A bucket in the shower can catch water for plants or clean-up jobs.
• Save energy by using less hot water.
• If your water heater is not insulated, an insulation blanket can save you energy and money. Insulate the pipes surrounding it too.
• When running the water for it to heat it up, run it into a container and use for watering plants.
• Instead of running the tap to get water cold, keep water in the fridge.
• Wash cars on the grass to avoid sending pollution into storm drains and use a shut-off nozzle and wash your car in small sections.
• Save rain water: Learn how to make a rain garden.

Additional Resources

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers several ways to conserve water. Here are a few:

• U.S. EPA Fixing Leaks at Home
• Every Drop Counts (PDF)
• Water Sense for Kids
• Saving Water in Maryland
• Learn more about many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, and maps from the USGS Water Science School