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SAVING WATER STARTS AT HOME
It’s easy to become a Water Saving Hero at home. Start by following simple everyday water-wise behaviors, and make sure your home has the most water efficient fixtures and appliances.
NEED INFORMATION ON OUTDOOR WATER CONSERVATION AND REBATES? CLICK HERE.
Conservation Programs for Homeowners
Many Bay Area water utilities offer a variety of programs and rebates aimed at helping you save water. Use this site to learn more about water-conservation tips and programs provided by your local water utility. You may be eligible for program incentives and rebates. Not all programs are available in all areas.
Click here to contact your local water agency and learn more about program eligibility.
Water Use Surveys
Many Bay Area residential water customers are eligible for a FREE water-use survey for their homes. This service provides customers with a comprehensive review of their household’s water usage and is the first step towards conserving water and saving money on water and wastewater bills.
Depending on the water utility, your water-use survey may:
- Review consumption history of each water account.
- Check toilets for leaks and determine flush volume.
- Determine flow rates of showerheads and faucets.
- Provide free high-efficiency showerheads and faucet aerators, as needed.
- Inspect landscape irrigation schedules for conservation improvements and equipment maintenance.
- Teach customers how to read their meters.
- Provide a report of all findings and installations done.
Together, these water conservation recommendations will help your household address water-usage inefficiencies and undiscovered leaks – a benefit for both the environment and your wallet. By installing efficient fixtures and fixing leaks, you can reduce water use in your home by up to one-third.
High-Efficiency Toilet Rebate Program
Toilets are one of the best options for property owners looking for immediate water savings, especially if replacing older, high water-use models. Many Bay Area water utilities offer rebates of up to $200 to residential customers who purchase qualifying high-efficiency toilets.
What is a high efficiency toilet?
Depending on when a toilet was manufactured, it can have a flush volume from 1.6 up to 7 gallons. The “new” technology in toilets is the high-efficiency toilet, which flushes at least 20% below the standard 1.6 gallons per flush model. Installing a high-efficiency toilet could save your household up to 22,000 gallons per year.
Contact your local water utility for toilet rebate program rules and a list of qualifying models.
Clothes Washer Rebate Program
High-efficiency clothes washing machines are readily available in retail outlets and are one of the most effective ways to conserve water and save money on utility costs. Many Bay Area water agencies offer rebates of up to $200 to residential customers who purchase qualifying high-efficiency clothes washer models.
Clothes washing machines account for more than 20% of water used in the home. Running a conventional washing machine, which can use more than 50 gallons of water per cycle, can add up to more than 16,000 gallons a year on laundry alone.
Today, new technology is emerging to replace water guzzling clothes washing machines with high-efficiency models that utilize approximately 40% less water and energy. Upgrading to an efficient clothes washing machine could save your household up to 7,000 gallons per year.
Contact your local water utility for clothes washer rebate program rules and a list of qualifying models.
Free Water Fixtures
Is your home equipped with low-flow showerheads? Efficient showerheads reduce water flow to 2.5 gallons per minute or less and can save thousand of gallons per year.
The first step to conserving water and saving money on water and wastewater bills is making sure you have the latest high-efficiency plumbing fixtures. Many Bay Area water utilities provide a number of conservation plumbing fixtures for FREE.
Contact your local water utility for program eligibility. Here’s a sample free devices that could be available to you:
Low-flow showerheads
Reduce water flow to 2.5 gallons per minute or less and save thousand of gallons per year.
Kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators
Reduce water flow to 2 gallons per minute or less. Installing aerators on kitchen and bathroom faucets can reduce water usage in the home by about 4%.
Toilet dye tabs
Conducting a dye-test in toilet tanks can identify costly silent leaks.
Garden spray nozzles
Reduce water waste in the yard. Make sure your garden hose has an automatic shut-off nozzle.
Useful Water Conservation Links
Take the Virtual Home Tour
Water Wise Drip Calculator:
Measure and estimate water wasted due to leaks.
http://www.awwa.org/advocacy/learn/conserve/dripcalc.cfm
American Water Works Association:
Water Wiser conservation, efficiency and demand management information resource.
Water Education Foundation
United States Environmental Protection Agency –
WATCON: Residential Water Conservation Techniques Software
http://www.epa.gov/seahome/watcon.html
California Urban Water Conservation Council
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