Did you know that many local governments have laws specifying the amount of water flow per minute used by water faucets, toilets and showers? The average person is estimated to use approximately 100 gallons of water per day. As many areas experience drought these days, water conservation efforts are on the rise. Below are estimates of how much water households use for various tasks. How does your household water usage add up?
In the Kitchen
· Washing dishes by hand: 8-27 gallons. Kitchen faucets use 1.5-2 gallons per minute (older faucets use more).
· Dishwasher: 6-16 gallons. New EnergyStar models use 6 gallons or less per wash. Older dishwasher may use up to 16 gallons per wash.
· Drinking and Cooking: This varies depending upon how much water each person and pet drinks, how much cooking you do, whether or not you have an automatic ice maker, etc.
· Hand Washing: 1 gallon.
In the Bathroom
· Shower: 2-5 gallons per minute.
· Bath: An average sized full tub is about 36 gallons.
· Teeth Brushing: .5-2 gallons.
· Shaving: 1 gallon.
· Toilet Flush: 1.5-4 gallons.
· Hand/Face Washing: 1 gallon.
In the Laundry Room
· Clothes Washer: 25-40 gallons per load.
Outdoors
· Hose: Approximately 2 gallons per minute.
Tips on Saving Water:
· Check faucets, pipes and toilets for leaks.
· Install water saving showerhead, low-flush toilets, and faucet aerators.
· Take shorter showers.
· Turn off the water while brushing teeth or shaving.
· Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket.
· Only run the washing machine and dishwasher when they are full.
· Plant native grasses and plants that will flourish in the area and need less watering