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.

  1. Indoor Water Conservation
  2. Outdoor Water Conservation

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.

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.