Kitchen
Dishwashers
Use your dishwasher
Washing dishes by hand can use more than 20 gallons of water while a dishwasher only uses 15 gallons or less.
Install a water and energy efficient dishwasher
Save 3 to 8 gallons per load (as well as save energy) with an Energy Star® or Water Sense® labeled dishwasher.
Run a full load
Try to reduce the number of loads per week and only run the dishwasher when completely full.
Scrape your plates instead of rinsing
Newer dishwashers clean more thoroughly than older ones. As a bonus, compost your plant food waste and enrich your soil — which also reduces the amount of water needed for irrigation.
Faucets
Don't let it run
Faucets installed after 1994, use about 1.5 gallons per minute (older ones use 2.2 gallons), so rinse efficiently.
Install aerators
Aerators are inexpensive, easy to install and can reduce the flow of a faucet to less than 1 gallon per minute.
Don’t let the water run
When washing dishes by hand, fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water.
Scrape food remnants into the trash
Using a garbage disposal requires several gallons of water to run, as well as several gallons to clean.
Soak pots and pans
Soak those big items instead of letting the water run while you rinse and scrape.
Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink
Save time, energy and water by not having to wait for the water to heat up.
Don’t rinse fats, oils or grease down the drain
Not only does it take more water to wash fats away, they tend to coat pipes causing clogs. Try freezing fats, oil and grease in a can then throw the whole thing in the trash.
Check for leaks
A leaky faucet can waste as much as 1,500 gallons of water per year. Most of the time, gently tightening the connections or replacing a gasket will fix the leak.
Cooking
Select the proper pan size for cooking
Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary. Cooking foods in as little water as possible also helps retain more nutrients.
Don’t use running water to thaw food
Defrost food in the refrigerator.
Soak instead of rinse
When washing your fruits and vegetables, let them soak in a pan or sink instead of washing under running water.
Chill a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator
Eliminate running the tap until the water runs cold. Drinking the prescribed eight glasses of water a day would cost about $1,400 if you bought bottled water. The same amount for tap water costs less than $0.50. Did you know that Castle Rock Water has won best-tasting water competitions?
Use one glass or a refillable water bottle
Designating one glass for water cuts down on washing.
Don’t waste those unwanted ice cubes
If you accidentally drop ice cubes, put them in a house plant or pet bowl instead of the sink.