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Water Conservation in the Bathroom

LEAKS

  • One drip every second adds up to five gallons per day! Check your faucets and showerheads for leaks.
  • Toilet leaks can be silent! Put food coloring in your toilet tank once a year. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Fix it and start saving.
  • If your toilet flapper doesn’t close properly after flushing, replace it.

TOILETS

  • Consider buying a dual-flush toilet. These have two flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a full-flush for solid waste
  • If your toilet was installed before 1992, upgrade with a water-saving WaterSense® labeled model. It will reduce the amount of water used for each flush.
  • If you can’t replace your toilet, use a toilet tank displacement device. These devices will reduce the volume of water in the tank but will still provide enough for flushing. A DIY version: fill a plastic bottle with stones or water, recap it, and place in the tank. Displacement devices are not recommended with new low-volume flush toilets.
  • Never use the toilet as a garbage can, to dispose of tissues, cigarette butts, or other trash. This wastes a great deal of water and also places an unnecessary load on the sewage treatment plant.

SHOWERING

  • An average shower uses about 5 gallons of water per minute. If you shorten your shower by 2 minutes, you cut your water use by 10 gallons each shower.
  • Turn off the water while washing your hair; save up to 150 gallons a month.
  • Keep your shower to under 5 minutes and you’ll save up to 1,000 gallons per month.
  • If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a WaterSense® labeled model. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.
  • At home or while staying in hotels, reuse your towels.

BATHING

  • A full bathtub requires up to 70 gallons of water. Take 5-minute showers instead.
  • When running a bath, plug the bathtub before turning on the water. Adjust the temperature as the tub fills.
  • At home or while staying in a hotel, reuse your towels.

SINKS

  • Turn off the water while brushing teeth and save up to 4 gallons a minute. That’s up to 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
  • Plug the sink instead of running the water to rinse your razor, and save up to 300 gallons a month.
  • When washing your hands, turn the water off while you lather.
  • Install water-saving aerators on all of your faucets, or replace with a WaterSense® labeled fixture. 
  • While you wait for hot water, collect the running water and use it to water plants.
  • Have a plumber re-route your greywater to trees and plants rather than the sewer line.
  • Teach children to turn off faucets tightly after each use.