Water Usage
About 70% of the typical family’s indoor water usage is in the bathroom. This is partly because water is used at a faster “flow rate” in the bathroom than in any other part of the home. Toilets and showers usually have a flow rate of 5-7 gallons per minute; most dishwashers and clothes washers use less than three gallons per minute.
Read Your Water Meter
Use your water meter to check for leaks in your home. Start by turning off all faucets and water-using appliances and make sure no one uses water during the testing period. Take a reading on your water meter, wait for about 30 minutes, and then take a second reading. If the dial has moved, you have a leak.
Appliances
Check the efficiency of your home appliances. Older washing machines and dishwashers tend to use much more water than modern appliances do.
Check for Running Toilets
The most common source of leaks is the toilet. Check the overflow of the tank to make sure no water is running over (float level may be set too high). The flapper valve in the bottom of the tank is also a location of a possible leaking toilet. View this YouTube Video on checking for toilet leaks.
Please view the following list of toilet-related facts:
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An average of 20% of toilets leak.
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Leaky toilets can usually be repaired inexpensively by replacing the flapper.
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Older toilets (installed prior to 1994) use 3.5 to 7 gallons (13-27 liters) of water per flush and as much as 20 gallons (76 liters) per person per day.
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Replacing an old toilet with a new model can save the typical household 7,900 to 21,700 gallons (29,902 to 82,135 liters) of water per year, cutting both water and wastewater bills.
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Toilets can account for almost 30% of all indoor water use, more than any other fixture or appliance.
Check for Leaky Faucets
The next place to check for leaks is your sink and bathtub faucets. Replacing the rubber O-ring or washer inside the valve can usually repair dripping faucets. You can also use this Drip Calculator
to measure and estimate water wasted due to leaks. Additionally, check for leaks on outside faucets and make sure the valve closes properly.
Leaks
The following chart shows the amount of water that can be lost (and billed to your account) for various size leaks based on normal water pressure of 60 psi.
Note: A dripping leak consumes 15 gallons per day and 450 gallons per month.
Water Conservation
For more information about water conservation contact
the Ohio County Water District at (270) 298-7704.