Residential Water Conservation Tips

The following residential water conservation tips are provided courtesy of the City of Pearland Water Department.

These tips are to help Pearlanders best implement efficient methods of using water. Plus, by using these water conservation tips, we can keep our water bill costs as low as possible.

Indoor Water Conservation Tips
• Install low volume toilets: since the 1990’s, new toilets have been designed to conserve water using only 1.6 gallons of water per flush.
• Find and repair leaks on faucets, sinks and toilets. Leaks are often silent, which allows loss of water to go undetected for long periods of time. An average leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons ofwater per day.
• Install low volume showerheads. A water saving showerhead should have a flow rate of 3 gallons or less a minute. Standard showerheads use from 50 to 10 gallons a minute.
• Install faucet aerators. The standard faucet flow rate is 5 gallons a minute. A low flow aerator can reduce this flow to approximately 2.5 gallons a minute.
• When you replace your washing machine, cosider a water-effecient model.
• Change water use patterns:
  • Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath.
  • Take shorter showers.
  • Turn off the water as you brush your teeth, wash your face or shave.
  • Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily: dispose of tissues, insects and other such waste in a trash can rather than in the toilet.
  • Operate the dishwasher and wash machine with full loads.
  • Select the correct water level for the wash machine if not washing a full load.
  • Use the shortest wash cycle for lightly soiled loads.
  • When washing dirty dishes, avoid running the water continuously.
  • Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Instead, defrost overnight in the refrigerator or by using the microwave.
  • Fill sink halfway to rinse vegetables and fruit instead of rinsing one at a time under running water.
  • Store drinkng water in the refrigerator instead of running the faucet waiting for cool tap water.
  • ever put water down the drain when there may be another use for it, such as watering a plant or cleaning.

Outdoor Water Conservation Tips
• Water your lawn only when necessary. The amount of rainfall should dictate how often you water your lawn.
• Water lawns during the early morning hours or early evening hours when temperatures and winds are at their lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
• When watering lawns, shrubs and gardens, water slowly and infrequently to promote good root growth and healthy plants.
• Do not use sprinklers that produce a fine mist.
• Plant drought-tolerant shrubs and trees.
• Use mulch around trees and flowerbeds. Muclh helps retain moisture and moderates temperature.
• Pay attention to your hose. Left unattended, a garden hose can dispense 600 gallons of water in an hour.
• Use drip irrigation for shrubs and flowerbeds.
• Use a broom to clean leaves and other debris from sidewalks and driveways rather than a hose.
• Use a bucket to wash your car.

Inground Sprinkler Systems
• For efficient irrigation, setting zones is critical. Each irrigation zone should be composed of the same kind of emitters throughout.
• The rate at which different heads deliver water varies, so for even coverage, head types should not be mixed.
• Check for and repair leaks.
• Maintain your sprinkler heads and valves.
• Heads should be adjusted to prevent water from spraying onto streets, driveways, houses and other obstructions.
• Avoid oscillating sprinklers and sprinkler heads that produce mist or fine sprays. These devices result in evaporation losses.
• Adjust your irrigation controller at least once a month to account for changes in weather.
• Install a rain shut-off device, soil moisture sensor or humidity sensor to help stop irrigation when it is not required.
• If your irrigation controller offers the feature of multiple start times, use this to your advantage. Shorter run times will reduce runoff and water loss.

I would like to thank the City of Pearland Water Department for contributing the list of Residential Water Conservation Tips. Properly implemented, Pearlanders should be able further conserve water and keep their water bills as low as possible.