Water Facts

• The average American uses 100-140 gallons of water per day.
• Keeping your shower time less than 5 minutes could save 1,000 gallons per month.
• In households not utilizing water-efficient fixtures, toilets used the most water on a daily basis (20 gallons per person per day). Clothes washers were the second largest water users (15 gallons per person per day) and showers were third (13 gallons per person day).
• In households that utilized water-efficient fixtures, clothes washers assume the role of top water user (15 gallons per person per day), followed by faucets (11 gallons per person per day), showers (10 gallons per person per day), and toilets (10 gallons per person per day).
• Studies show that dripping faucets and leaking toilets account for as much as 14% of all indoor water use, equivalent to 10 gallons per person of water lost per day.
• Clothes washers can use as much as 35 gallons of water per cycle and dishwashers as much as 25 gallons per cycle.
• A full dishwasher is more water efficient than washing the same load by hand.
• Most toilets use about 5 gallons per flush.
• Energy efficient appliances are usually water efficient too.

Water Tips

• Take a quick shower rather than a bath and save an average of 20 gallons of water.
• For a bath, close the drain before running water and fill 1/3 of the tub.
• Wait until you have a full load of laundry before running the machine to save both water and energy. If you can't wait for a full load, use the right water level to match the size of the load.
• Do not use the toilet as a garbage can to dispose of tissues, insects, etc.
• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or shaving and save more than 5 gallons per day.
• Instead of waiting for tap water to get cold enough for drinking, keep a bottle of water in the refrigerator.
• Cut down on the amount of rinsing you do before loading the dishwasher. Most modern dishwashers do an excellent job of cleaning dishes, pots and pans all by themselves.
• Only run your dishwasher when it is full to make the best use of water, energy and detergent.
• When washing dishes by hand, use two basins - one for washing and one for rinsing rather than let the water run.
• Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator or in the microwave instead of running water over it.
• The most common source of leaks is the toilet. Leaky toilets can waste as much as 200 gallons each day. Check toilets for leaks by placing a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If after 15 minutes the dye shows up in the bowl, the toilet has a leak.
• Repair dripping faucets. Dripping faucets can waste about 240 gallons of water each month.

Energy Facts

• The nationally recommended temperature setting is 68° F for heating and 78° F for cooling.
• During the summer, your air conditioner is the biggest user of electricity. For many homes, it accounts for more than half of the summer electric bill.
• The energy in 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas, 100 kilowatt-hours of electricity, 7.6 gallons of crude oil and 95 pounds of coal is roughly the same.
• Refrigerators are often the second largest users of electricity next to air conditioning.
• Heating and cooling account for up to 45% of your home’s energy costs.
• When you use glass cookware for baking you can reduce the cooking temperature by 25° F.

Energy Tips

• During the summer, set your thermostat at 78° F or higher and leave it there. For every degree below that setting, you’ll use 3 to 5 percent more electricity. Set the thermostat even higher when at work or away from home for long periods of time, but no more than five degrees higher.
• During the summer, close window shades and curtains to keep the heat out.
• To balance comfort and efficiency, set your thermostat at 68-70° F when heating your home.
• Change filters in air conditioning units at least once a month.
• Check your windows and doors for a tight fit. Apply weather stripping or caulking if needed.
• Run the dishwasher and wash/dry clothes early in the morning or late in the evening.
• Turn off lights when leaving a room.
• Use ceiling fans whenever possible.
• Use the lowest appropriate temperature setting when drying clothes and avoid partial loads and over drying clothes.
• Toaster ovens use less energy than full-sized ovens. Use them when cooking or warming small portions of food.
• Leave room in your refrigerator or freezer for cold air to circulate.
• Minimize the amount of time doors are open on your refrigerator and freezer.
• Ensure the seal on your refrigerator is tight. Tight sealing gaskets keep cold air in and lower energy costs.
• Keep your water heater set at the lowest temperature that still provides the amount of hot water you need. In most cases, 120° F is sufficient.
• When going on vacation, turn your water heater thermostat to low.
• Turn off computers and televisions when not in use.
• Using white lampshades helps make a room appear brighter with lower energy bulbs.
• Make sure your fireplace damper is closed when not in use.