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| Water is our most precious
resource; however, it is often taken for granted!
Although Minnesota appears to have a more than adequate supply of water,
increasing demand from domestic, agricultural, and industrial water users
can strain water resources and municipal water supply systems, especially
during periods of drought.
і "Minnesota DNR," Minnesota
DNR Website, Water Conservation.
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 | Did you know that a typical person uses 70 gallons
of water a day?
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| Toilets account for 27% of water use, clothes washers
for 22%, showers for 18% and leaks 14%.
і
"Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance," MOE Website, Water.
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| Conservation can save water users money by reducing
water bills, or reducing electrical consumption and maintenance costs for
private well owners. |
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Water can be saved throughout the house by
changing habits and practices, try some of the following water
conservation tips:
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Bathrooms
| Check to assure your toilet's flapper valve doesn't
stay open after flushing. |
| Install ultra-low-flush toilets that use only 1.6
gallons of water per flush. Or place a plastic bottle filled with
water or sand in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used in
each flush. |
| Turn your faucet off while you shave, brush your teeth
and lather up your hands. |
| Buy an electric razor or fill the sink with a little
water to rinse your razor, instead of rinsing in running water. |
| Install a showerhead with a cutoff valve or turn the
water off while soaping and turn it back on again to rinse. This
could save you as much as 2.5 gallons every minute you shower. |
| Take a short shower instead of a bath. While a
five minute shower uses 12 to 25 gallons, a full tub requires about 70
gallons. |
| When taking a bath, start filling the tub with the
drain already plugged in instead of waiting first for the water to get
warm. Adjust the temperature as the tub begins to fill. |
Indoors
| Pay attention to your water bill and become familiar
with your water meter; use them to track your water use and detect leaks. |
| Fix leaky plumbing fixtures, faucets and appliances in
the house. |
| Show children how to turn off the faucets completely
after each use. |
| Install aerators on every faucet. This could save
you as much as 1 gallon every minute you use them. |
| Purchase appliances that offer water and energy
efficient cycle options. |
| Wash only full loads in your washing machine, or adjust
the water level to reflect the size of the load. It takes about 32
to 59 gallons of water per load! |
Kitchens
| Place a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of
letting the tap run to get a cool drink. |
| Purchase an instant water heater for your kitchen sink
so you don't waste water while it heats up. |
| Let your pots and pans soak instead of letting the
water run while you clean them. |
| If you wash your dishes by hand, fill one sink with
soapy water and the other with clean water instead of letting the water
run. |
| Select one glass or plate to use each day. If you
do this, your dishwasher will take longer to fill up and it will not need
to run as frequently. |
| Never run the dishwasher without having a full load.
Your dishwasher uses approximately 25 gallons of water. |
Outdoors
| Check outdoor faucets, pipes, hoses, pools and water
softener for leaks. |
| Cover pools and spas to avoid evaporation. |
| Do not "sweep" the driveway or sidewalk with water from
the hose. Use a broom instead. |
| Consider replacing infrequently used lawn areas with
low-water use plants or ground covers. |
| Water lawns early in the morning during the hotter
summer months to reduce evaporation losses. |
| Water your lawn only when it needs it. If you
leave footprints on the grass, it is usually time to water. |
| Avoid watering your lawn on windy days. |
| Be sure to properly set your underground sprinklers so
they do not water the lawn when it is raining. |
| Collect the runoff from your roof in a barrel and use
it on your plants in the garden. |
| Remove weeds from the garden, this helps cut down on
excess water consumption due to plant competition. |
і "Utah Division of Water Resources,"
UDWR Website, Water Conservation Tips.
і "Global Developmental Research Center,"
GDRC Website, Urban Water Conservation Tips.
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