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06/14/16 - Mayor's Column: Water Saving Tips

A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”

We are fortunate to live in an area where water shortages are rarely an issue. Nearly 700 million people in 43 countries currently face severe water shortages. Predictions indicate that within the next decade, at least 40 U.S. states will face water shortages due to a combination of rising temperatures, drought, population growth, and waste.

But there is hope -- research has shown that residential water use could be reduced by as much as 50 percent through efficiency.  Here are a few simple, low-cost suggestions for reducing your family’s water consumption.

Reduce Water Use from Showers and Faucets

Although it’s often the smallest room in the house, the bathroom is where 75 percent of indoor household water consumption occurs.  Seem impossible?  Consider this: The average six-minute shower uses about 20 gallons of water!  Reduce this amount with the following tips:

  • No cost:  Limit shower time to five minutes or less.
     
  • Less than $10:  Install an on/off valve between the shower arm and shower head. This temporarily shuts off the flow while maintaining the temperature, and can be a useful water-saver while soaping up or shaving.
     
  • $10-$50:  Install a low-flow (less than two gallons per minute) shower head. Previous low-flow shower heads sacrificed water pressure for efficiency, but now there are many options that don’t simulate a dripping faucet.
     
  • $20-$50:  Insulate all accessible hot-water pipes, especially those within three feet of the water heater.  You’ll get hot water faster; avoid wasting H2O while it heats up, and save energy in the process.
     
  • Fit all household faucets with low-flow aerators (less than two gallons per minute).  This is the best in-home water conservation method, and it’s also the cheapest.

Toilets are the Enemy

Each day, the U.S. uses 5.8 billion gallons of fresh water to flush waste.  If you’re in the market for a new porcelain throne, check out options with either a very low (less than 1.6) gallon per flush (gpf) rating, or dual flush controls.

This new technology provides two buttons for flushing: one at 1.6 gpf for solid waste, and another at only 0.8 gpf for liquids.  These double-duty flushers can reduce water usage by up to 67 percent compared with traditional toilets.

If you haven’t budgeted for a new toilet, try these quick fixes:

  • Check for leaks:  Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank.  If the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.
     
  • Displace water:  Older toilets don’t require nearly as much water as they use (3.5-5 gallons) to flush properly.  To “trick” your toilet into using less water, place a half-gallon plastic bottle inside your toilet tank to displace water volume.  Be sure at least two and one-half gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly.  Ideally, weigh down the bottle with sand or pebbles so it doesn’t interfere with the tank mechanisms. This simple retrofit could save a three-person family 225 gallons of water per month!  Not a do-it-yourselfer? For only a few dollars, you can purchase a prepared toilet bag designed to displace 0.8 gallons of water with every flush.

Minimize Appliance Water Consumption

Outside the bathroom, most water is used to wash clothes and dishes.  Rather than wearing dirty clothes and using paper plates, keep these tips in mind while tackling daily chores:

  • Fully loaded:  For optimum water consumption, dishwashers and clothes washers should be operated when full.  If you must wash partial loads, adjust the water levels as appropriate.
     
  • The dishwasher is your friend: Even old-school dishwashers don’t use as much water per dish as hand-washing.  Newer, more efficient dishwashers use only 1/6 of the water used during hand-washing, and save 230 hours of your time each year.
     
  • Scrape, don’t rinse:  Pre-rinsing dishes before loading the dishwasher is unnecessary.  Scrape off food and then trust the appliance to do its job.
     
  • Pass on permanent press:  Avoid the permanent press cycle when washing clothes, which uses an additional five gallons for the extra rinse.
     
  • Upgrade your equipment: Consider buying a water-saving front-loading clothes washer, or a top-loading one with no central agitator.  Check ENERGY STAR for ideas and ratings.

By following some of these simple, low-cost suggestions you will be able to reduce your families water consumption and not only save money on your monthly water bill, but also help preserve our water supply at the same time.  The strong working relationship between City Hall and the residents we serve is yet another example of why O’Fallon is such a great community in which to live.