Where does all your water go?

• Flushing the toilet uses 5-7 gallons of water
• Running the faucet while brushing your teeth consumes 3-5 gallons of water
• A ten-minute shower uses 40-70 gallons of water
• Running the dishwasher uses 10-20 gallons of water
• Washing a full load of clothes consumes 30-55 gallons of water
• Washing your car for 20 minutes uses 90 gallons of water.
• A faucet with a slow drip consumes 300 gallons per month.
• A toilet leaking for six months uses 45,000 gallons

Helpful hints to conserve your water

• Turn off the shower while soaping up or shampooing
• Don't leave the water running
• Half fill the sink while shaving
• Use a bowl of water for washing vegetables
• Shut off the hose while soaping your vehicle
• Keep a bottle of water in the refrigerator for drinking
• Low sudsing detergents require less water for rinsing
• Use a broom to clean sidewalks and driveways instead of hosing
• Water grass only long enough for the water to reach the roots
• Water grass slowly, deeply and infrequently
• Water your lawn in the early morning or at dusk to avoid evaporation
• During the summer months don't mow your grass less than 2" high. This shades the roots and holds moisture in the soil.
• Mulching around trees and garden plants conserves soil moisture

Helpful hints for detecting leaks and fixing problems

Faucets
Worn-out washers, inexpensive parts that are easily replaced, cause the majority of faucet leaks. But there are so many kinds of faucets in use that we suggest you consult a plumbing book or plumber, unless you know exactly how to take your faucet apart.

Toilets
When water stands too high in a toilet tank, it can spill out the overflow tube. A line on the back of the tank usually marks the correct level, about 1/2 inch below the top of the tube. If the water is too high (or too low,) bend the float arm (very gently) until the toilet fills to a point about 1/2 inch below the top of the overflow tube. If the water is too low, you may get a poor flush.

A worn flush valve ball can leak 10-12 gallons an hour, but so secretly you will need a dye tablet to spot it. It is a part you can easily remove and replace.

It may also happen that the flushing valve ball is not seating properly. Check the valve seat for scale or corrosion and clean it if necessary. This may also be the problem if the toilet "runs." If the ball still won't seat, the guide-wire may be bent or catching in the guide. Straighten the wire or clean the guide until the ball seats properly.

In newer toilets, the guide-wire assembly has been replaced by a chain, and the flush-valve ball by streamlined "flapper-ball". If you have these parts, you won't have problems with a balky guide-wire.

If you have to jiggle the handle to keep the toilet from "running", it may be a sticking guide-wire, or the handle itself may be loose. If the handle is loose, tighten the nut that secures it in the toilet tank.

If the water that refills the tank won't shut off, you probably have a defective shut-off valve in the ballcock assembly. You will find that water continues to run and spill into the overflow tube, eventually wasting tons of water and a lot of money.

To empty the tank for toilet repairs, turn off the water inlet under the toilet. Empty the tank by flushing it, and sponge up the leftover water.

When a toilet leaks, water is running from the tank into the bowl and away into the sewer system. Toilets are notorious for hidden leaks. Unless the toilet can be heard "running" after each flush, leaks are seldom detected until you receive your water bill. One way to detect a leak is to take a dye tablet (food coloring works just as well) and place it into the tank. Do Not Flush the Toilet. Wait 20 to 30 minutes – if the color appears in the bowl, the toilet is leaking.