| Water Wisdom |
Student
Fact Sheet
|
1.
Install low-flow
faucets and showers.
á
These use half the
amount of water typical faucets use and can save thousands of gallons of water
a year.
2.
Turn off the
faucet when brushing teeth, doing dishes, or washing your hands and face.
á
DonŐt leave the water
running. Even though it seems the
water is on Ňjust a few seconds,Ó these seconds quickly add up to minutes and
hours of water wasted by the end of the year. A typical faucet* runs about 3 gallons of water each
minute.
3.
Take 5-minute
showers.
á
A typical shower uses 7
gallons of water a minute. Time how long you normally take in the shower. If itŐs over five minutes, try to cut
down on your shower time. An
average bath uses 36 gallons of water.
4.
Do a full load of
laundry instead of only half a load.
á
Washing machines use
about 55 gallons of water per load so itŐs water-wise to fill up the washing
machine each time you use it.
Using the short cycle saves water as well. Remember to use biodegradable laundry soap!
5.
Soak dishes and
silverware before washing.
á
Washing dishes by hand
uses 3 gallons of water a minute.
By soaking dishes first, you need less water once itŐs time to scrub and
rinse. Dishwashers use 15 gallons a
load so make sure theyŐre full if youŐre using them instead.
6.
Fix leaky
faucets.
á
That drip-drop sound
from the faucet may sound small, but over time, it adds up to a lot of water
wasted. One leaking faucet can
waste over 2,000 gallons a year! Be a Leaky Detective and go around the house finding
leaks that need fixing. Report
your findings to your parents.
7.
Put a nozzle on
the hose.
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Even though the hose is
turned on, this lets you control when the water runs and when it doesnŐt.
8.
Use a sponge when
washing your bike or the family car.
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Fill a bucket with soapy
water and use a sponge to wipe down the bike or car instead of letting the hose
run. Use the hose to rinse as
needed.
9.
Water the lawn
and garden in the morning or evening.
á
Watering lawns and
gardens during the day when itŐs hot wastes water through evaporation. Watering in the morning or evening when
itŐs cooler, helps save water because more of it gets used for the plants or
lawn.
10.
Plant native or
drought tolerant plants in your garden.
á
Native plantsŃplants
that are naturally found in your areaŃneed less water than other plants, and
provide food for native species like birds and butterflies. Drought tolerant
plants are non-native plants that require less water and can survive long
periods of dry weather. A garden
planted with drought tolerant plants is called a ŇXeriscape.Ó
11.
Reduce the amount of beef in your diet by eating more fruits,
vegetables, grains, nuts, and legumes.
á Over half of the water in California is used to grow grain to feed beef cattle. These cattle then become steak, hamburgers, hot dogs, taco meat and other red meat items. It takes 62 gallons of water to produce one egg and 615 gallons of water to produce one hamburger. By reducing the amount of beef you eat by half, you and your family can save thousands of gallons of water a week