Indoor Water Conservation

What You Can Do To Save Water Inside The Home . . .

• Fix leaking fixtures as soon as possible. A leaking faucet or toilet can dribble away thousands of gallons of water a year.
• Check leaky toilets (put a drop of food coloring in the tank, let it sit - if the water in the bowl turns color, you have a leak).
• Consider replacing your 5 gallon per flush toilet with an efficient 1.6 gallon per flush unit. This will permanently cut your water consumption by 25%.
• Run only full loads in dishwashers and washing machines. Rinse all hand washed dishes at once.
• Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth, or shaving.
• Store a jug of ice water in the refrigerator for a cold drink.

Leaks and Their Effects

Faucet leaks are easy to detect. If it drips or worse, continues to keep running after you shut it off, it needs to be fixed. If the dripping water is hot, it is costing you money to heat the water. Water that is dripping from the shower head when the shower is shut off or running out of the spout when the shower is on is usually caused by bad washers or seats which need replacing. Fix leaking fixtures as soon as possible. A leaking faucet or toilet can dribble away thousands of gallons of water a year.

 

Size of Leak		Water Wasted
	1/32" drip	18,500 gal. every 3 months
	1/16" trickle	74,000 gal. every 3 months
	1/8" stream	296,000 gal. every 3 months
	1/4" stream	1,181,000 gal. every 3 months

Using Your Water Meter

Use your water meter to check for leaks. Start by making sure that all water-using appliances are not being used, including automatic ice makers. If your meter has a low flow indicator (leak detector), it should not be moving. If it is, water is passing through the meter and there is a leak. Otherwise, note the meter reading on the dial and then check again after an hour. If the meter has moved, then you have some leaks that should be repaired. Fixing leaks saves money.

What About Saving Water Outside?

• Fix leaking faucets as soon as possible. A dripping outside faucet can waste thousands of gallons water each year.
• Plant less grass - shrubs and ground covers require less water and maintenance, and provide year-round greenery. Choose shrubs and trees adapted to our New England climate.
• Water only when necessary. The most effective time is early in the morning - never on windy, rainy, or very hot days. Use a water efficient, slow soaking irrigation system. Don't water the driveway or sidewalk.

Doing It Together . . .

Working with state regulators, public health professionals and other water utilities, we have a strong commitment to protect Connecticut's drinking water supplies and to inform consumers about water quality and conservation issues.

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