Lower Your Water Bills

Don't Send Your Money Down the Drain There are many ways to conserve water and lower your water bill. Repair leaky faucets promptly, and install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads. The biggest water-user in a home is typically the toilet. Install low-flow toilets, or place a plastic container filled with water or gravel in the tank of your conventional toilet. (Be sure it does not interfere with the toilet's flush mechanisms.) In the kitchen, scrape, don't rinse, off large food pieces, and add food wastes to a compost pile rather than using a garbage disposal. If you use a dishwasher, soaking or prewashing dishes is generally only recommended in cases of burned-on or dried-on food. Run your dishwasher when it is full, but not overloaded. And don't use the "rinse hold" setting for just a few soiled dishes. For laundry, wash full loads, or use the appropriate water-level setting. Outdoors, use native plants, reducing the need for extra watering, and when using a hose, control the flow with an automatic shut-off nozzle. The above Energy Saver tip was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy. For more information on other ways to save energy at home, visit click here.