How to Reduce Water Consumption

Turn off the tap. Allowing the water to run unused down the drain while you brush your teeth is wasteful and unnecessary. Turning the faucet off while you brush can save up to 4 gallons per brushing.

Install low-flow faucet aerators. A typical faucet allows flows up to 5 gallons per minute (gpm). When buying faucet aerators for your sinks, aim for 0.5 to 1 gpm for bathroom sinks and 1.5 to 2 gpm for kitchen faucets.

Invest in a low-flow shower head. Low-flow shower heads don't sacrifice water pressure, they simply aerate the water and distribute it to feel like the same amount of water as a conventional shower head. Aiming for 1 to 1.5 gpm can save up to 45 gallons per day per person.

Avoid unnecessary toilet flushes. Throwing that dirty tissue in the garbage rather than flushing it down the toilet is just common sense, and flushing it can waste 3.5 gallons or more.

Fix leaks immediately. The drip coming from your faucet may look like just a little drip, but it is likely wasting 20 gallons or more per day.