Indoor water conservation combines mindfulness, water re-use and efficient technical gear. Rebates for water-efficient appliances are available at SoCal WaterSmart. Water utilities can provide assistance for making changes at home – check online for rebates, classes, and water conservation tips.
Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
Los Angeles County Waterworks District
West Basin Municipal Water District
Mindfulness: Save Water
- Fix drips immediately – up to 10% of all water is lost due to leaks.
- Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth.
- Time your showers: combat soldiers and firefighters can do it in 3 minutes, can you?
- Wash only full loads of laundry.
- Wash only full loads of dishes.
- Consider bathing Japanese style: after a quick scrub, sequential or simultaneous family baths conserve water.
Water Efficient Appliances
Faucets – Slow the Flow
According to conserveh2o.org: “You can save up to 40% of the water used by sink faucets replacing your older faucet aerators with new water efficient ones.”
Shower Heads
High pressure and low flow can still feel great. Low-flow showerhead to save more than 14,600 gallons a year per household.
Washing Machines
Water-wise machines use 1/3 less water, 1/2 the energy, and require less detergent.
Dishwashers
According to treehugger.com: “The average dishwasher uses 6 gallons of water per cycle; the average Energy Star-rated dishwasher uses 4 gallons per cycle, and their energy use ranges from 1.59 kWh per load down to 0.87 kWh per load.”
Toilets – Dual Flush and Low Water Use
Modern, low-flush models use less than 1/3 the water of old models, saving about 8,500 gallons per year for the average single-family household.
Cool Technical Gear
SoCal WaterSmart offers rebates on all the latest and greatest washing machines, toilets, dishwashers, plumbing equipment and more. Plus there are rebates on things you might not realize that you need such as rainbarrels and soil moisture systems.