Reducing your household’s water use can save money and help fight climate change

Each day, it seems, a new climate-related catastrophe makes headlines.

Salmon are dying in California, because the water they inhabit is now too warm for them. The Hoover Dam reservoir is at record-low levels, potentially affecting the water supply to the West Coast. And California is, once again, in a drought, affecting the nation’s food supply.

States and municipalities across the country are asking residents to conserve water as the precious resource is threatened with impending scarcity. Even if you aren’t facing mandated water conservation, there are small changes everyone can make at home.

American households spend as much as $500 per year on their water and sewer bill, according to Tim Carroll, a spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency. Retrofitting your home with water-efficient fixtures and incorporating water-saving practices could cut your bills by about $170 annually.

Even something as simple as turning the water off when you brush your teeth can have an immediate effect, said Ellen Hanak, director of the Public Policy Institute of California’s Water Policy Center.

“Don’t run a dishwasher with three plates in it; fill up first. And same with laundry. Use those appliances efficiently,” she said.

Consider low-flush toilets and low-flow shower heads. A regular shower head uses 2.5 gallons of water per minute, while low-flow showerheads use two gallons per minute, according to the EPA. And if you’re worried about not having good water pressure with the low-flow option, two experts that noted that the technology has improved since the earlier models.

Check the EPA’s WaterSense Calculator to determine how much you could save; for example, a family of four who replaces toilets, faucets and shower heads with low-flow alternatives can reduce their water consumption by about 21,000 gallons annually.

Household waste and average of nearly 10,000 gallons of water a year on leaks, including from running toilets and dripping faucets, according to the EPA. Depending on your washer, that’s enough water for hundreds of loads of laundry.

If your water utility has real-time metering, check to see whether it’s recording water use overnight. If so, you probably have a leaky toilet. If you don’t have real-time metering, hard-water streaks in the bowl could indicate a running toilet. Another test: Put drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. After 15 to 20 minutes, if any of the food coloring has made its way into the bowl, you have a leak, said Steven Taylor, a master plumber with Neerings Plumbing & Heating in Salt Lake City.

To check for leaky faucets, put a pan underneath and leave it overnight to see if any water collects.

You can make the needed repairs yourself, Taylor said, starting with replacing the toilet flapper. But if you’re not confident in your skills, hire a plumber.

Depending on what part of the country you live in, it might be worth considering breaking up with the traditional American lawn. Mediterranean-style yards, with rocks and native plants, may be worth exploring.

Earlier this summer, Nevada passed a water-saving law that in 2027 will ban certain kinds of decorative grass, as in office parks, entrances to housing developments, and street medians.

Also consider what size water droplets your sprinkler puts out. Although it may sound counterintuitive, a system that sprays larger drops can conserve water, because less evaporates, said Kurt Schwabe, professor of environmental economics and policy and associate dean in the University of California at Riverside’s School of Public Policy. Ask whether your local utility offers high-efficiency heads for sprinklers.

Water early in the morning or in the evening. If you wait until the hottest part of the day, the water will vaporize before it hits the ground. And shake the mentality that grass needs to be watered every day. “It’s actually better if you water every other day or every third day,” Schwabe said.

Trading in working appliances may not be feasible, but when it’s time to get new ones, look for models that use less water. The average dishwasher now uses about six gallons per load, compared with as much as 10 gallons for older models, according to the EPA.

Your washing machine is the second-largest water consumer in your home, behind bathroom appliances. According to the EPA, new washing machines average 31 gallons per load, compared with more than 40 gallons for older models. Choosing a high-efficiency, front-loading washer can cut water use to as little as 13 gallons a load.

Many states, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have appliance rebate programs.