P2 House - Water Conservation
Tips to Conserve Water Throughout Your Home
Laundry Room
- Wash full loads
- Soak clothes with heavy stains prior to washing
- Avoid the extra rinse cycle
- Wash your clothes on the cold cycle setting
- Avoid extra-long drying cycles
- Make sure hose connections for the washer are tight
- Maintain your washer and dryer and look for leaks
Prevent washing machine leaks by checking the following:
- An overloaded washer can leak when too much clothing or oversized items such as comforters are crammed in the tub.
- Front loader washer leaks may be caused by using too much detergent or combining laundry products inappropriately.
- Leaks from the back of new washers may occur when the manufacturer’s drain plug isn’t removed before installing the drain hose.
- Make sure the drain hose is properly secured in the drain pipe.
- Ensure that all the connections are tight fitting and in good shape.
Bathroom and Kitchen
- Shut off water when not in use (e.g. while brushing your teeth or washing dishes)
- Consider using foaming hand soap instead of liquid (foaming soaps do not require the use of water to spread over hands)
- Take showers, not baths
- Invest in water-saving devices, such as faucet aerators, low-flow faucets, water-efficient showerheads and dual-flush toilets
- Wash vegetables in a large bowl of water instead of running faucet water
- Avoid using water to defrost frozen foods
- Use the dishwsher to wash large loads of dishes
Outdoors
- Plant desert-friendly vegetation, native plants and xeriscape (landscaping involving proper planning and design, soil analysis and improvements, appropriate plant selection, practical turf, efficient irrigation and mulches, and appropriate maintenance)
- Research and only use the amount of water your plants require
- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks
- Ensure sprinklers are properly aligned to water plants
- Purchase sprinklers with sensors that override automatic watering when moisture is detected
- Avoid washing vehicles at home
- Don’t use water to clean gutters
- Consider using greywater (water from bathtubs and wash basins) to water plants
- Check for leaks in sprinklers, pipes and hoses
- Use a nozzle or spray attachment on the garden hose