faucets and running toilets are more than a nuisance. They waste
water and cost money. A slow, steady drip can waste as much as 350
gallons of water a month. Water saved is money earned!
Did you know that all water is recycled? We drink the same water that the
dinosaurs did, and future generations will drink that same water. That's why
it's our job to use water wisely and protect water supplies whenever and
wherever possible. If we each save a small amount of water each day, our
combined savings will add up to millions of gallons each year.
Two thirds of the water used in the average home is in the bathroom, mostly for
flushing toilets, showers, and baths.
- Turn off the water when you are not using it. Don't let it run while you brush your teeth or shave.
- Flush the toilet less often. Put used tissues, trash, hair, paper towels, etc. in the wastebasket instead of flushing them.
- Fix leaks and drips. This is often simply a matter of changing a washer.
- Retrofit older plumbing fixtures with flow-reducing devices.
- Take shorter showers. Less than 5 minutes is adequate, any longer is recreation.
- Take baths. A partially filled tub uses less water than a short shower.
- Use appliances efficiently. Run full loads in the dish or clothes washer or, if your appliance has one, use a load selector.
- Buy a water saver. Select new appliances that are designed to minimize water use.
- Clean vegetables and fruit efficiently. Use a vegetable brush to expedite cleaning.
- Use garbage grinders as little as possible. Start a compost pile.
- Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. Avoid running the tap just to cool water for drinking or utilize that water for other uses such as watering plants.
- Water the lawn and garden only when necessary. Early morning or evening are the best times. Let grass grow higher in dry weather. Mulch your trees and plants. Avoid watering driveways and sidewalks.
- Deep-soak your lawn. Allow the moisture to soak down to the roots where it does the most good. A light sprinkling evaporates quickly.
- Plant drought resistant trees and plants. Many beautiful trees and plants thrive with less watering, particularly native species.
- Wash your car sensibly. Clean the car with a pail of soapy water and use the hose only for a quick rinse. Allow water to run into a hedge or shrub rather than down the gutter.
Use a rain barrel.
The Portland Water District offers, at cost, water conservation kits. These
kits which include low-flow showerheads and toilet tank banks will help you reduce
your water usage, which could lower your water, sewer, and electric bills.
Click here to download a printable order form.
Leaks. Unseen or unfixed, they can drip hundreds, even thousands of gallons of
water wastefully down the drain. A little detective work several times a year
can catch these water thieves in the act and put them out of circulation.
Toilet Dye Test
Although water may not be seen or heard
running, your toilet may have a silent
- Drip 10 to 15
drops of food coloring into
the toilet tank. DO NOT
- Wait 10
- If colored
water appears in the toilet
bowl, you have a leak.
- Generally the
leak is in or around the
plunger ball or flapper
valve at the bottom of the
- These leaks
are easy to fix with
do-it-yourself parts from
your local hardware store or
you can contact your
plumber. There are also
several websites on the
internet that demonstrate
how to find and fix a toilet
- Toilets: Approximately 27% of your water usage
comes from toilet flushing. A leaky toilet can have a major impact on your
bill. The toilet is one of the most common water wasters but its leaks tend
to be less noticeable than faucet leaks.
Here are some obvious signs of a leaking toilet:
- Jiggling the handle to make a toilet stop running.
- Sounds coming from a toilet that is not being used.
- Holding the handle down to allow the tank to empty.
- Seeing water trickling down the sides of the toilet bowl long
after itís been flushed
- Toilets flushing on their own without touching the handle Ė
Possible causes of toilet leaks include:
- Chain or strap in the tank that is too long and doesnít
lift the flapper or ball high enough to float on its own.
- Bad flush valve (located in the center of the tank). Check the
ball, flapper, seal or gasket under the flush valve.
- Bad refill valve (located in the left side of the toilet tank).
- Faucets: Approximately 16% of your usage comes
through your faucet. Each faucet that drips 60 times a minute
adds up to 1,225 gallons per year of wasted water. Faucet leaks
can occur inside your home or at your outside spigot. Repair or
replace a leaky faucet.
Most leaks result from worn washers in household faucets and showerheads. These faucets, as well as seldom-used taps in the basement or storage rooms, should be checked periodically. Faucet leaks are usually caused by worn washers or "O" rings (for washerless faucets). Repairing faucet leaks is easy. All you have to do is turn off the water supply line to that faucet, replace the washer and turn on the line again. Any good do-it-yourself book will offer advice on this simple task. If you're not a do-it-yourselfer, have the work done by someone who knows how to do the job.
- Outside Taps: Check the outside taps for leaking water, particularly during the summer sprinkling season. A hose mistakenly left dribbling away in the grass or garden can waste thousands of gallons of water over the course of a summer. Remember to close outside faucets tightly every time you shut off the water!