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Water Conservation Tips
Water is necessary for the sustenance of human life. While we, in Grants Pass use the Rogue River for our water supply it is not a limitless resource. It costs more to process our water supply into clean drinking water.
Water: Essential. Reliable. Invaluable
For more water facts and information, visit the Value of Water Coalition website.
In the Kitchen
- Rinse fruits and vegetables in a pan instead of using running water.
- Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. Running tap water to cool it off for drinking is wasteful.
- Only wash full loads of laundry and dishes. No need to pre-wash the dishes. Look into recycling gray water on the DEQ's Graywater webpage.
- Install water-efficient faucet aerators and shower-heads in your kitchen and bathrooms.
In the Bathroom
- Turn off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth.
- Take shorter showers. You will save 2.5 gallons of water each minute.
- Check toilets and faucets for leaks. Running toilets can waste 2 gallons a minute while leaky faucets can waste thousands of gallons. Contact your billing office to pick up a dye packet to check toilets for leaks, it's free.
- Do not use the toilet as a wastebasket. Only toilet paper goes in the toilet.
- Only fill the bathtub halfway instead of to the top, once you get in the water should rise to a comfortable level.
- Rinse razors in the sink with about an inch instead of using a stream of water.
Other Indoor Water Conservation
- Check and make sure all your pipes are properly insulated. Cover your hot water heater with a special insulating blanket or cover.
- Regularly check for leaks throughout your home. Check under sinks and in crawl spaces.
- When you wash fresh produce, reuse that same water for your house plants.
How to Save Water Outdoors
Irrigation Tips
- Plant native or drought-tolerant plants that require less watering. Native plants promote healthier local ecosystems.
- Check for leaks in pipes, sprinkler heads, and valves, especially in spring when sprinkler systems are starting.
- Install a rain sensor switch to temporarily shut off your system when it rains.
- Apply organic mulch around plants to reduce moisture loss and keep weed-growth down and promote a healthier soil environment.
- Water during cool parts of the day. Early morning is the best time since it helps prevent growth of fungus. Or let your lawn go brown in the summer, when the rains return so will your lawn.
- Avoid watering on windy days.
- Deep soak your lawn to ensure moisture reaches the roots. Light sprinkle watering evaporates quickly and encourages shallow root systems that need more frequent watering. Us an irrigation runtime calculator.
- Water your lawn only when it needs it. You can test it by stepping on it and see if it springs back up. If it does, it does not need watering, or use a rain gauge.
- Use drip irrigation in larger gardens with weather based irrigation control (WBIC).
Other Outdoor Water Efficient Tips
- Use a broom to sweep off pavement. Using a hose to wash sidewalks, driveways and patios wastes money and water.
- Wash your car on the lawn.
- If you have a pool, cover it when not in use to prevent evaporation.
- Aerate lawns in early summer to allow water and air to reach the roots.
- Mow high to shade roots, keep soil cool and retain soil moisture.
Leaks, Water Meters, and Other Related Information
To find out how to detect leaks, read your water meter, and find out more about household water use, go to the Leaks & Helpful tips page.