Ten Easy Ways to Conserve Indoors

 

1. Replace old toilets
   You can reduce water use 60 percent by replacing your older (pre-1992) toilet with a new High-Efficiency Toilets (HET). *Solano County residents are also eligible for a rebate up to $125.
   
   
2. Replace your old washing machine
   High-Efficiency Clothes Washers use 40% less water and energy than traditional models and are gentler on clothes. *Starting Jan. 1, 2008, SCWA and PG&E are working together to offer a $125 or $200 rebate to Solano County residents who purchase and install qualified high-efficiency clothes washers.
   
   
3. Check for leaks
   Test your toilets for leaks. Place food coloring in the tank. If the color appears in your bowl, then you have a leak. Either your water level is too high, or your flapper needs to be replaced.
   
   
4. Run full loads
   Run your clothes washer and dishwasher with full loads to maximize water and energy efficiency.
   
   
5. Keep water cool
   Keep a container of water in the fridge so you don’t need to run water down the drain until it’s cool enough to drink.
   
   
6. Plug it up
   Put a plug in the bathroom sink when shaving rather than rinsing your razor under running water.
   
   
7. Save while showering
   If your showerhead can fill a one- gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace it with a high- efficiency showerhead. You can pick up a free high-efficiency showerhead at your local water utility.
   
   
8. Brush and conserve
   When brushing your teeth, remember to keep the water off until you are ready to rinse your brush. Running the water while brushing your teeth and shaving can waste hundreds of gallons every month. Every drop counts.
   
   
9. Always aerate
   Make sure there are aerators on all of the faucets in your home. Faucets without aerators can use more than three times the water.
   
   
10. Sweep sidewalks and driveways
    Clean sidewalks and driveways with a broom, not water from a hose.