WATER CONSERVATION: SIMPLE WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As population grows, so does the stress on available water supplies. Between 1950 and 2000, the U.S. population nearly doubled—and the public demand for water more than tripled. Each American uses an estimated 80-100 gallons of water each day—enough to fill 1,600 drinking glasses. This increased demand has put additional stress on water supplies and distribution systems, threatening both human health and the environment. A recent government survey showed at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional or statewide water shortages by 2013; and Colorado is one of those facing problems statewide. What can you do? A lot. Through small changes, like changing out inefficient fixtures or repairing leaky faucets, you can make a big difference in the amount of water you use. And when you use water more efficiently, you don’t just help preserve water supplies and protect the environment—you also save money. To learn more about water conservation, consult the water conservation FAQ below.

To calculate your estimated household water use, visit the Home Water Works calculator.

Water Conservation FAQ

1. What are the benefits of water conservation?
2. What kinds of changes can I make to reduce water use inside my home?
3. What do I need to know about water-efficient toilets?
4. What do I need to know about water-efficient faucets?
5. What do I need to know about water-efficient showerheads?
6. What do I need to know about water-efficient dishwashers?
7. What do I need to know about water-efficient clothes washers?
8. What kinds of changes will help me reduce my water use outside?
9. Are there rebates available for products that reduce water use?
10. Are there regulations I should be aware of?

1. What are the benefits of water conservation?

Saving water saves money. If your household is typical, you probably spend as much as $500 per year on your water and sewer bill. With a few simple efficiencies, you could save approximately $170 per year—about one third of your bill. How much money you save will depend on the cost of water where you live, but it makes sense that using less water lowers your utility bill—and lowers the overall cost of water infrastructure in your region.

Saving water saves energy and helps the environment. It takes a considerable amount of energy to deliver and treat the water you use every day. For example, letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours. By reducing household water use, you not only help reduce the energy required to supply and treat public water supplies, but you also help address climate change. In fact, if one out of every 100 American homes was retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, we would avoid 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year—the equivalent of removing nearly 15,000 automobiles from the road.

Water efficiency helps everyone. Depleting reservoirs and groundwater can put water supplies, human health and the environment at serious risk. Lower water levels can contribute to higher concentrations of natural or human pollutants. Using water more efficiently helps maintain supplies at safe levels, protecting human health and the environment. Using less water also preserves this limited resource for future generations.

For more information:

Visit Denver Water’s website.

Get answers and assistance at the Alliance for Water Efficiency, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water.

Learn about Xeriscape Colorado and other efforts to promote water efficiency in Colorado.

2. What kinds of changes can I make to reduce water use inside my home?

• Replace an old toilet with a high efficiency one. Consider installing a WaterSense labeled toilet, which uses 20% less water while offering equal or superior performance. Compared to older, inefficient models, WaterSense labeled toilets could save a family of four more than $90 annually on its water utility bill—that’s approximately $2,000 over the lifetime of the toilet.
• Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 15 minutes. (Make sure to flush as soon as the test is done, since food coloring can stain the tank.) Repairing these leaks can make a real difference in water use.
• Install a WaterSense labeled aerator—one of the most cost-effective ways to save water. Also consider replacing the entire faucet with a WaterSense labeled model. Either way, you can increase the faucet’s efficiency by 30% without sacrificing performance.
• Repair dripping faucets and showerheads. Just one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year.
• Install a low-flow showerhead to increase efficiency without sacrificing performance.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes, or lower the water settings for smaller loads.
• Use energy-saving cycles (no heat or air dry) on your dishwasher.
• Replace your old washing machine with a high-efficiency model. Consider an ENERGY STAR® labeled model, which may use up to 50% less water and electricity.
• Wash laundry in cold water.
• Insulate your water heater and water pipes. This will save energy and also will cut down on the amount of water that goes down the drain while waiting for hot water to flow.
• Lower your water heater temperature setting to "warm" or 120° F.

3. What do I need to know about water-efficient toilets?

Toilets are by far the main source of water use in the home, accounting for nearly 30% of an average home's indoor water use.

Through recent advances, manufacturers are now able to create toilets that use up to 60% less water than older models while still providing equal or superior performance. Replacing an older toilet may save you $90 per year on your water bill—and up to $2,000 over the course of the life of your new toilet. Switching to high-efficiency toilets can save both water and money.

There are three categories of high-efficiency toilets: dual flush, gravity flush and pressure-assist models.

• A dual flush toilet has two options for flushing: one for flushing liquid and another for flushing solids. The short-flush feature uses between 0.6 and one gallon, and the full-flush feature uses 1.6 gallons.
• Gravity-flush toilets are the most common toilets found in homes. Gravity-flush, high-efficiency toilets use 1.28 gallons per flush or less. The toilet is designed so that the weight of the water, along with gravity, pulls the waste from the bowl.
• A pressure-assist toilet uses compressed air to create a powerful flush to push the waste out of the bowl. It typically uses one gallon per flush.

While there are various models of water-efficient toilets, those bearing the WaterSense label may be a good choice for you. These models are certified by third-party testing to meet EPA standards and other rigorous criteria for both performance and efficiency.

For more information:

Use the WaterSense calculator to help you estimate how much you could save by installing a WaterSense labeled toilet.

Get tips for choosing a low-flow toilet.

4. What do I need to know about water-efficient faucets?

Faucets account for more than 15% of indoor household water use—more than 1 trillion gallons of water across the United States each year. Water-efficient bathroom sink faucets and accessories can reduce a sink's water flow by 30% or more without sacrificing performance. Typical households can save more than 500 gallons each year and reduce energy use at the same time by cutting demands on their water heaters.

While there are various models, all products bearing the WaterSense label complete a third-party certification process that includes independent laboratory testing to ensure they meet EPA criteria. On faucets and faucet accessories (products that can be attached easily to existing faucets to save water, like aerators), the WaterSense label indicates both water efficiency and the ability to provide adequate flow.

For more information:

Estimate how much you could save by installing a WaterSense labeled faucet with this calculator.

5. What do I need to know about water-efficient showerheads?

Showering accounts for approximately 17% of residential indoor water use in the United States—adding up to more than 1.2 trillion gallons of water each year nationwide. Water-efficient showerheads are designed to give you the same level of comfort while reducing the amount of water consumed.

When purchasing a water-efficient showerhead, look for the WaterSense label, a guarantee that the product has been assessed and determined to meet EPA criteria. To earn the WaterSense label, showerheads must not only save water, but also perform as well or better than conventional models on the market.

Because no universally agreed upon testing protocols for showerhead performance or definition for user satisfaction exists, WaterSense is currently developing standards for showerhead performance. In the future, showerheads bearing the WaterSense label will use no more than 2.0 gallons per minute (gpm), tested at a flowing pressure of 80 pounds per square inch (psi). In addition to the water-efficiency criteria, they will test for three key performance attributes identified through consumer testing:

1. Flow rate across a range of pressures
2. Spray force
3. Spray coverage

For more information:

Find retailers carrying WaterSense products in Colorado.

6. What do I need to know about water-efficient dishwashers?

If you have a dishwasher made before 1994, you may be paying $40 more per year on your utility bills that you need to. A new dishwasher will likely save you around 31% in energy use and 33% in water over your current machine.

If you want to replace your dishwasher to save money and energy and reduce your water consumption, an ENERGY STAR® qualified model is a great choice. ENERGY STAR® qualified dishwashers use less energy than conventional models, which helps combat global warming; and with a savings of two gallons per cycle, they’ll also cut your water and energy bill.

Use these criteria when you look to purchase a new dishwasher:

• Check the yellow EnergyGuide label. The EnergyGuide label tells you how much energy it takes to operate a dishwasher. Use it to compare the energy use of similar models and estimate annual operating costs.
• Choose the right size for your home. Standard-capacity models hold more than eight place settings and six serving pieces, while compact-capacity models hold up to that amount. If you have to operate a compact model more frequently, over time you may use more energy than you would with a standard model.
• Choose a dishwasher with several wash cycle options. If your dishes are only slightly soiled, you can use a light or energy-saving wash cycle, which uses less water and operates for a shorter period of time.

Finally, if you’re thinking that hand washing dishes uses less water and energy than an automatic dishwasher, think again. Using an ENERGY STAR® dishwasher will save money, time, energy and water over washing by hand. Washing dishes in a new ENERGY STAR® qualified machine has these benefits over hand washing:

• You’ll save $40 per year on your utility bills
• You’ll recover 230 hours over the course of a year (almost 10 days!)
• You’ll gain improved disinfection compared to hand washing (thanks to boosted water temperatures)
• You’ll use less than half as much energy
• You’ll save nearly 5,000 gallons of water a year

For more information:

Search the ENERGY STAR® store locator to find a location near you.

7. What do I need to know about water-efficient clothes washers?

The average American family washes almost 400 loads of laundry each year. Families can cut their related energy costs by more than a third—and their water costs by more than half—by purchasing a water-efficient model. If your washer is more than 10 years old, you could save more than $135 each year on your utility bills just by making this change.

If you want to save money and energy and reduce your water consumption by replacing your clothes washer, an ENERGY STAR® qualified model is a great choice. Over the life of your new ENERGY STAR® qualified washer, you could fill three backyard swimming pools with your water savings.

Use these criteria when you look to purchase a new clothes washer:

• Check the yellow EnergyGuide label. This label will help you determine how much energy it will take to operate the model, compare the energy use of similar models and estimate annual operating costs.
• Think carefully about the size of the washer you need. While a larger model will obviously hold more clothes, it will also use more energy. On the other hand, a model that’s too small will require more overall cycles.
• Choose a model with a high Modified Energy Factor (MEF) and a low Water Factor (WF). Modified Energy Factor (MEF) is a measure of energy efficiency that considers the energy used by the washer, the energy used to heat the water, and the energy used to run the dryer. The higher the MEF, the more energy efficient the clothes washer. Water Factor (WF) measures water efficiency in gallons of water consumed per cubic foot of capacity. The lower the WF, the more water efficient the clothes washer.
• Look for several water level options. Choose a washing machine that allows you to adjust the water level to match the size of the load.

For more information:

Search the ENERGY STAR® store locator to find a location near you.

8. What kinds of changes will help me reduce my water use outside?

Outdoor water uses increase water consumption during spring and summer by as much as 50%. Landscape watering and car washing are the two main outdoor water uses responsible for creating this demand for water. This increase in demand for water comes at a time of year when there is less water naturally available in the environment due to warmer temperatures and plant uptake. Here are some simple ways you can reduce your water use outside and save water and money:

• Water your lawn or garden during the cool morning hours, as opposed to midday, to reduce evaporation.
• Look for sprinklers that produce droplets, not mist, or use soaker hoses or trickle irrigation for trees and shrubs.
• Set sprinklers to water lawns and gardens only. Check that you’re not watering the street or sidewalk.
• Try not to overwater your landscaping. Learn plants’ water needs and water different types appropriately.
• Don’t over-fertilize. You will increase the lawn’s need for water.
• Raise your lawn mower blade to at least 3 inches. Taller grass promotes deeper roots, shades the root system and holds soil moisture better than a closely cropped lawn.
• Plant climate-appropriate species. Try plants that are native to where you live, that don’t require as much water, and group plants together by water requirements.
• Use mulch around trees and plants to help reduce evaporation and control water-stealing weeds.

For more information:

See Denver Water’s guide for efficient watering.

9. Are there rebates available for products that reduce water use?

Rebates are available for a variety of products. Follow these links to learn about rebates in your area:

Use the Energy Action Planner on this site to find out if there are any special offers or rebates currently available on ENERGY STAR® qualified products in your area.

10. Are there any regulations I should be aware of?

Many areas around the state enforce summer and drought watering rules. For example, Denver Water enforces its mandatory Summer Water Use Program from May 1st to October 1st. Click here for more information and to check any exceptions to these rules.

• Water during cooler times of day—lawn watering is NOT allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Do not allow water to pool in gutters, streets and alleys.
• Do not waste water by letting it spray on concrete and asphalt.
• Repair leaking sprinkler systems within 10 days.
• Do not use spray irrigation during rain or strong winds.

Check your local water utility or water conservation office for local restrictions.