Faucets

Update your equipment

Faucets installed after 1994 use about 1.5 gallons per minute (older ones use 2.2 gallons), so rinse efficiently.

Install aerators

Aerators are inexpensive, easy to install and can reduce the flow of a faucet to less than 1 gallon per minute.

Don’t let the water run

When washing dishes by hand, fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water.

Scrape food remnants into the trash

Using a garbage disposal requires several gallons of water to run, as well as several gallons to clean.

Soak pots and pans

Soak those big items instead of letting the water run while you rinse and scrape.

Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink

Save time, energy and water by not having to wait for the water to heat up.

Don’t rinse fats, oils or grease down the drain

Not only does it take more water to wash fats away, they tend to coat pipes causing clogs. Try freezing fats, oil and grease in a can, then throw the whole thing in the trash.

Check for leaks

A leaky faucet can waste as much as 1,500 gallons of water per year. Most of the time, gently tightening the connections or replacing a gasket will fix the leak.