While most people associate home improvement with expensive projects, there’s dozens of easy fixes you can make around the house to help conserve water. Here are just a few examples.

INSULATE YOUR WATER HEATER: Just like insulating your windows, walls, or attic, insulating your water heater is a fast and easy way to save money on your energy bill. If you have an older water heater, you could save as much as $45 per year by installing a water heater jacket, a process that shouldn’t take more than two hours.  Water conservation is achieved by less time spent waiting for the water to warm-up.

INSTALL LOW-FLOW SHOWERHEADS: According to the EPA, the average family could save 2,900 gallons of water each year by switching to WaterSense showerheads.  Most shower heads have a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm), but a low-flow showerhead is only 1.5 gpm, and offers the same amount of pressure and comfort, just with less water.  

If every home in the U.S. switched to low-flow showerheads, the country could conserve up to 260 billion gallons of water every year.  The best part about low-flow showerheads? They’re quite inexpensive. You can find them for as little as $10!

INVEST IN LOW-FLOW SINK FAUCETS: WaterSense sink faucets can save about 700 gallons of water per household each year. That’s the same amount of water used to take 40 showers. Sink faucets are slightly more difficult to replace on your own, but if you love to DIY, it’s a great task to tackle.

USE WATER-EFFICIENT TOILETS: Replacing inefficient toilets can reduce family water use by up to 13,000 gallons a year.  WaterSense certified toilets start at around $100, and installing one is a surprisingly simple task for most. You can find many tutorial videos on the web by searching the phrase “toilet replacement.”

Additionally, the City of Turlock offers a $75 rebate for replacing older toilets with new high-efficiency models that meet WaterSense specifications.

WaterSense is a partnership program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that seeks to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. Products and services that have earned the WaterSense label have been certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing performance.

To learn more water conservation ideas, visit the City’s website at www.CityofTurlock.org or contact the Municipal Services Department at (209) 6685590.  Brought to you by the City of Turlock Municipal Services Department.

CONSERVATION TIP #147

Repair leaks: Small leaks can add up quickly. One drip per second adds up to five gallons per day, which can add up to nearly two thousand gallons of wasted water each year.