Water Conservation Tips

More than 10% of all water used in the home is used in the washing machine. An automatic clothes washer, at full cycle and highest water level, uses 30-35 gallons of water. The dishwasher is also a potential heavy user, requiring 25 gallons for a full cycle. Dishwashing with the tap running takes five gallons per minute – approximately 30 gallons per average washing.

Here are some tips for saving water in your kitchen and laundry:

1. Instead of running water continuously, fill wash and rinse basins with water.
2. Run only full loads in the dishwasher. Avoid using the extra cycle.
3. Chill drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap.
4. Use your garbage disposal sparingly, using a garbage can for most kitchen waste.
5. Wash clothes on auto sensing setting and avoid deep water wash when possible.
6. Check faucets and hose connections for leaks. Repair or replace whenever necessary.

This list is a good representation of low-water consuming plants that are easily available. Please check with your local nursery for their suggestions about what is best suited to your area.

Flowering Plants

• Achillea (yarrow)
• Aloe
• Callistemon citrinus (lemon bottlebrush)
• Cassia artemisioides (feathery cassia)
• Centranthus Tuber (red valerian)
• Cistus (rockrose)
• Convolvulus cneorum (bush morning glory)
• Cortaderia selloana (pampas grass)
• Coreopsis verticillata
• Cotinus coggygria (smoke tree)
• Cytisus and spartium (broom)
• Echium fastuosum (pride of Madeira)
• Escallonia
• Eriogonum (buckwheat)
• Fremontodendrom (fremontia)
• Garrya elliptica
• Kniphofia uvaria (red-hot poker)
• Lantana
• Lavandula (lavender)
• Lemonium perezii (sea lavender)
• Nerium oleander (oleander)
• Ochna serrulata (Mickey Mouse plant)
• Pennisetum setaceum (fountain grass)
• Plumbago auriculatta (cape plumbago)
• Poinciana gilliesii (bird of paradise bush)
• Romneya coulteri (Matilija poppy)
• Satureja montana (winter savory)
• Teucrium fruticans (bush germander)

Foliage Plants

• Agave
• Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree)
• Artemisia (wormwood)
• Atriplex (saltbush)
• Centaurea gymnocarpa
• Dodonaea viscosa (hopseed bush)
• Elaeagnus
• Pittosporum (some species)
• Portulacaria afra (elephant's food)
• Prunus lyoni, P. ilicifolia, P. caroliniana
• Rhamnus alaternus, R. crocea ilicifolia
• Rhus ovata (sugar bush)
• Senecio cineraria (dusty miller)
• Xylosma congestum
• Yucca

Trees

• Acacia (certain species)
• Casuarina (Beefwood)
• Cedrus deodara
• Certonia siliqua (carob)
• Cercis occidentalis (western redbud)
• Cercidium (palo verde)
• Cupressus glabra (Arizona cypress)
• Eriobotrya japonica (loquat)
• Eucalyptus
• Geijera parvifolia
• Hakea (tree types)
• Heteromeles arbutifolia (toyon)
• Juglans hindsii (California black walnut)
• Lyonothamnus floribundus asplenifolius (Catalina ironwood)
• Melaleuca linarifolia, M. styphelioides
• Olea europaea (olive)
• Palms
• Parkinsonia aculeata (Mexican palo verde)
• Pinus (pines)
• Pistacia chinensis (Chinese pistache)
• Quercus (oaks)
• Rhusiancea
• Robinia (locust)
• Schinus molle (California pepper)
• Sequoiadendron giganteum (big tree)
• Tamarix aphylla (salt cedar)

Vines

• Bougainvillea
• Campsis (trumpet creeper)
• Solanum hartwegii (cup-of-gold vine)
• Solanum jasminoides (potato vine)
• Tecomaria capensis (cape honeysuckle)
• Vitis vinifera (wine grape)
• Wisteria

Ground Cover

• Baccharis pilularis (dwarf coyote brush)
• Gazania
• Hypericum calycinum (creeping St. Johnswort)
• Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary)
• Santolina chamaecyparissus

Many Forms

• Ceanothus
• Cotoneaster
• Grevillea
• Juniperus (juniper)

A leaking toilet can be annoying and wasteful. To check for a leak, add a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Here’s how to pinpoint the issue:

Issue 1: Tank not filling with water
If the flush ball isn’t returning to the seat properly:

• Check if the linkage to the trip lever is stuck.
• If that doesn’t fix it, replace the ball. A flapper ball can replace a worn flush valve ball.

Issue 2: Water flowing into overflow tube
If the valve isn’t shutting off correctly:

• Lift the float ball. If water shuts off, the ball isn’t seated properly. This could be due to:
  • The ball is leaking and full of water. Replace it.
  • Adjust the float ball by using the screw at the base of the rod so the water level is 1/2 to 1 inch below the overflow tube.
• If lifting the float ball doesn’t shut off water, the valve itself needs repair or replacement. Repair kits and new valves are available at hardware stores.

Issue 3: Water not flowing into overflow tube but constantly running
If the flush ball or flapper isn’t fitting snugly into the seat:

• If the flush ball or flapper is worn, replace it.
• If the seat is rough, clean it with steel wool, apply a repair seal, or replace the seat.

While you're carefully watching your water usage, it's important to make sure that water is not slipping away due to undetected leaks in your system. Here's a simple procedure that can tell you if you have a leak and how much water you're losing:

1. Locate your water meter. It is usually located near the street in front of your home.
2. Read the meter twice – first at night after the day's water use has ended, and again in the morning before any water is used.
3. Subtract the first number from the second reading to tell how much water (if any) leaked out overnight.
4. If you suspect a leak, your pipes and connections should be checked and repaired quickly.

The toilet is a common source of unnoticed leaks. Undetected, hundreds of gallons of water can be wasted each day. Often leaks occur when the toilet is out of adjustment or parts are worn. Listening carefully for the sound of running water is a good way to detect a possible leak. Food coloring or a dye tablet added to the tank will also reveal water leaking into the toilet bowl. Drop it in the tank and don’t flush. If the water in the bowl turns color, you have a leak.

If you suspect a leak and need assistance in determining its location, please call our local office.

In the average household, water use doubles in summer, mainly due to irrigation. Conserving water doesn’t mean a dry landscape.

Some myths about drought-resistant landscaping:

1. Myth: Drought-tolerant landscaping isn’t colorful.
   Fact: Many drought-tolerant plants are prolific bloomers. Choose plants for foliage contrast to add color year-round.
2. Myth: Drought-tolerant plants need no water.
   Fact: These plants need initial watering to establish but require less water afterward.

Water conservation tips:

1. Use low-water plants and drip irrigation for slow, deep watering.
2. Apply mulch to retain moisture, prevent erosion, and suppress weeds.
3. Preserve existing trees. Use porous paving materials (brick, gravel) to keep water in the garden.
4. Set automatic timers for efficient, scheduled watering.
5. Water during cool hours to minimize evaporation.
6. Add compost to soil to boost water retention.
7. Repair leaky hoses and sprinklers promptly.
8. Raise lawnmower height for longer grass, which reduces evaporation.
9. Water trees/shrubs deeply and less frequently; shallow-rooted plants need more frequent watering.
10. Use smaller container plants, which need less water to establish.

Switching to an ultra-low flush (ULF) toilet is an effective way to make your home or office more water efficient. ULF toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) compared to 3.5 to 7 gallons in older designs.

New plumbing codes require ULF toilets in all new construction, bathroom remodels, and replacements.

Questions and Answers about ULFs

• What are ultra-low-flush toilets?
  ULF toilets use 1.6 gpf or less, compared to conventional toilets that use 5-7 gpf or "water-conserving" models that use 3.5 gpf.
• Are ULFs more dependable than 3.5-gpf "water-conserving" models?
  Yes, ULF toilets have been redesigned to work more efficiently with less water.
• How much water can I save with a ULF toilet?
  A household of four using a five-gallon toilet could save 60 gallons per day, or 22,000 gallons per year.
• Do ULF toilets cost more?
  ULFs range from $100 to over $400, depending on the model.
• Are ULF toilets available in various colors and styles?
  Yes, ULF toilets come in a wide range of decorator colors and styles.
• Do ULF toilets install like conventional toilets?
  Yes, ULF toilets install the same as conventional toilets without special tools.
• Will I need to double-flush?
  Double-flushing is rare, and even when needed, it uses less water than a conventional toilet flush.
• Do ULF toilets require more cleaning?
  No, ULF toilets clean as effectively as conventional models, though small water surfaces may need slightly more cleaning.
• How do I know if the toilet works well?
  ULF toilets must meet ANSI standards and be listed by IAPMO to be certified.

How Low-Flush Toilets Work

The Gravity Flush
Gravity flush toilets use steep bowl sides and narrower trapways to create a siphon action that pulls waste out using a quick release of water.

The Pressurized Flush
Pressurized flush toilets use the house water line pressure to increase flushing velocity. A rubber diaphragm in the tank compresses air to create a powerful flush.