Residential Water Conservation Measures

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Residential Water Conservation Measures

• Lacey Baldwin
• Water Quality Program Specialist
• City of Salem Public Works Department
• 503-361-2224

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Todays Topics

• Overview of Salems drinking water
• Why should you conserve
• water?
• Indoor Conservation tips
• Leak Detection
• Retrofits
• Behavioral Changes
• Outdoor Conservation tips
• One Inch per Week lawn watering campaign
• Water wise landscaping
• Behavioral Changes

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North Santiam Watershed
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Salems Drinking Water

• Treatment
• Slow Sand Filtration
• Used to reduce turbidity
• Sodium Hypochlorite
• Dose at 1.3-1.5 mg/L
• Used for disinfection
• Fluorosilicic Acid
• Dose at 1 mg/L
• Used to prevent tooth decay

One of four slow sand filters at Geren Island
Treatment Facility
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Why should you conserve water?

• Water is our most precious natural resource
• Save Water Save Money
• Less than 1 of drinking water is actually
  consumed by people
• Postpones the need for new, expensive
  infrastructure
• Its the right thing to do

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The Challenge of Residential Water Conservation

• For many of us, water simply flows from a
  faucet, and we think little about it beyond its
  immediate point of contact.
• -Sandra Postel

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Salem Water Consumption for 2004
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Average indoor and outdoor water use in typical
U.S. single-family home
Average Indoor and Outdoor use101 gallons per
capita day
Source Handbook of Water Use and Conservation
by Amy Vickers
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Outdoor Water Conservation

• Summer months cause demand to jump 2-3 times
  higher than winter months.
• On average, 80-90 of the outdoor demand goes to
  watering lawns, plants, and gardens.
• A typical suburban lawn in America soaks up
  about 10,000 gallons of supplemental water a year.

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Outdoor Conservation Tips

• One inch per Week lawn watering campaign
• A healthy, green lawn only needs one inch per
  week
• Use a free watering gauge to measure one inch
• Water during the early morning
• Dont water during windy conditions
• Break up the one inch to two or three days per
  week
• Know your soils
• Keep your lawn longer during the summer

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Water Wise Landscaping

• Use native and drought resistant plants in
  landscaped areas
• Use mulch to protect the soils
• Plants with similar water needs should be planted
  together
• Minimize turf
• Know your soils
• Efficient irrigation
• Regular maintenance

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Irrigation Technologies

• Irrigate 95.9
• In-ground Sprinkler 49.3
• Sprinkler Timer 37.8
• Sprinkler Sensor 2.9
• Hand Hose Sprinkler 34.7
• Drip Irrigation 15.0

Residential End Uses of WaterAWWA Research
Foundation and American Water Works Association
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Outdoor Water Use Statistics

• Homes with in-ground sprinkler systems use 35
  more water than those without an in-ground
  system.
• Households who water with a hand-held hose use
  33 less water outdoors than other households.
• Households than employ an automatic timer to
  control their irrigation systems used 47 more
  water than those that did not.

Residential End Uses of WaterAWWA Research
Foundation and American Water Works Association
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Behavioral Changes

• Use a hose nozzle to water landscaped areas or
  wash your car
• Water pots and planters with a watering can
  instead of a hose
• Sweep off porches/patios instead off washing them
  off
• Monitor how much you water your lawn
• Water the lawn in the early morning
• Fix broken sprinkler heads and outside leaking
  faucets
• Dont water the sidewalk, driveway, or side of
  the house when watering

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Residential Water Uses
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Indoor Conservation

• Leak Detection
• Retrofits
• Behavioral Changes

Self-serve car washes use less water than washing
it at home.
Using a low-flow kitchen swivel aerator will
reduce the amount of water used when washing
dishes or cleaning.
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Leak Detection

• Toilets
• Water loss from toilet
• leaks can vary from several
• gallons to more than 100 gallons
• per day per leaking fixture.
• Up to 25 of toilets in U.S. homes are estimated
  to leak.
• Toilet leaks are typically inexpensive and easy
  to fix.

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Leak Detection

• An average of 9.5 gallons per capita day are lost
  due to leaks.
• Toilet flapper leaks are the primary source
  followed by faucet/hose bib leaks.
• Majority of leakage is from inside the home.
• Nearly 67 of homes leaked an average of 10
  gallons per day or less. (REUWS)

REUWS by AWWA Research Foundation and American
Water Works Association
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Leak Detection cont.

• Toilets
• How do you check for a leak?
• Can you hear the toilet running?
• Do you see water running down the side of the
  toilet bowl?
• Leak detection dye tablets
• Pencil test

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Leaking Toilets

• Suspect Toilet Parts
• Flapper valves and valve seals
• Worn and broken ballcocks, lift chains, and
  handle rods
• Accelerated deterioration from toilet bowl
  cleaners

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Retrofits

• Bathroom low flow faucet aerators
• 1.5-2.5 gallons per minute
• High flow7.0-2.5 gpm
• Kitchen low flow faucet aerators
• 1.5-2.5 gallons per minute
• High flow7.0-2.5 gpm
• Low flow showerheads
• 1.5-2.5 gallons per minute
• High flow8.0-2.5 gpm

• Toilets
• 1.6 gallons per flush
• High flow7.0-3.5 gpf
• Clothes Washers
• 27 gallons per load
• High flow56-39 gpf
• Dishwashers
• 4.5 gallons per load
• High flow14-7.0 gpl

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Leaking Faucets

• Guidelines for water loss
• One drip per second 10 gallons per day
• Five drips per second (steady stream) at least
  40 gallons per day
• Check faucets twice a year for leaks
• Replace worn out fixtures, washers, O-rings, and
  hose connections.
• Turn off faucets firmly

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Faucet calculations were based on running 30
times a day for a duration of 1 minute each time
at 260 days per year. Showerhead calculations
were based on 2 showers at 10 minutes each for
260 days per year. Toilet calculations were based
on 30 flushes per day for 260 days per year.
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Behavioral Changes

• Wash full loads in washer and dishwasher
• Adjust water cycle when washing a smaller load
• Use sink to wash vegetables instead of running
  faucet

• Shorter showers
• Turn off water when brushing teeth/shaving
• Use less water when taking a bath
• Dont use the toilet as a garbage

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Salems Conservation Plan

• Outdoor Conservation
• One Inch per Week lawn watering gauges
• Hose nozzles for washing car and watering outside
  plants

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Salems Conservation Plan

• Indoor Conservation
• Indoor water conservation kit containing low flow
  showerhead, kitchen faucet aerator, bathroom
  aerator, leak detection dye tablets, adjustable
  toilet flapper, and flow meter bag.

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Lacey Baldwin Water Quality Program
Specialist 503-361-2224 lbaldwin_at_cityofsalem.net