Normally, we have access to an abundance of water, so the importance of water is often overlooked. For most of us, water use is a habit. We usually do not think about how much water we use. Be aware of how much water you use! Awareness is the first step in conservation. The average person uses almost 100 gallons of water per person per day on daily household activities. Water can be conserved by making improvements in the home or by modifying behavior. Here are some tips:

Repair all leaks. A dripping faucet is more than annoying - it is expensive. Even small leaks can waste significant amounts of water. Leaks inside the toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day or more.

Place a weighted plastic one-half gallon jug in the tanks of conventional toilets to displace and save water with each flush. When constructing a new home or remodeling your bathroom, install low consumption (1.6 gallons per flush) toilets. Toilet leaks can be detected by adding a few drops of food coloring or kool-aid to water in the toilet tank. After waiting several hours, if the colored water appears in the bowl, the toilet is leaking.

Switch to an ultra low-flow showerhead. This could save you as much as 2.5 gallons every minute you shower. Take short showers instead of tub baths. While a five minute shower uses 12 to 25 gallons, a full tub requires about 70 gallons.

Turn the water off in the bathroom while you are shaving, brushing your teeth, or lathering up your hands.

Use a dishpan or plug the sink for washing and rinsing dishes. Do not pre-rinse dishes prior to loading in a dishwasher. Pre-rinsing is an unnecessary and wasteful use of water.

Operate the washing machine and dishwasher only when they are fully loaded. Use the proper water level or load size selection on the washing machine.

Pay attention to your water bill and become familiar with your water meter - use them to track your water use and detect leaks.

If you have any questions please contact the Water Department at 256-775-7210.