Make Every Drop Count In The Home

1
Make Every Drop CountIn The Home

• University of Nebraska Lincoln
• Written by
• Shirley Niemeyer
• Extension Specialist. Housing Environment
• Sharon Skipton
• Extension Water Quality Educator

2
Why Be Efficient?

• Aging infrastructure
• Limited capacity
• Increased cost to update or replace
• Limited resources

3
Water Use in the Home

• Amount
• 70 to 100 gallons/person/day
• Where
• Toilet 42
• Washing machine 14
• Shower/bath 30
• Dishwashing 6
• Drinking/cooking 5

4
Becoming More Efficient

• Make physical changes
• Make practice changes

5
Toilet

• Physical changes
• Install low-flush toilets
• January 1, 1994 1.6 gallons
• vs. 3.5 gallons or more on older toilets
• Pressure, vacuum, jet action
• Dual-flush toilets
• Waterless urinal

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Toilet

• Physical changes
• Check water pressure
• required for toilet type
• Pressure-assist
• Vessel in tank pushes water through bowl
  quickly. Louder, good performance.

Pressure assist toilet
7
Toilet

• Vacuum-assist
• Similar to gravity flush. Design creates vacuum
  to help pull waste through bowl. Quickly fills
  with water to clear waste. Quiet.

Photo www.peaktoprairie.com
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Toilet

• Jet action
• Water entry at bowl top. Has a siphon jet at
  bottom of bowl to improve flush.
• Gravity-feed (standard toilet - most common)
• Rely on water dropping from tank into the bowl
  and trap to move waste down the drain.

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Toilet

• Dual-flush toilets
• Liquids - 0.8
• Solids - 1 gallon
• Waterless urinal or
• low water use urinal

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Toilet

• Practice changes
• Add plastic container or toilet dam
• Dont use as trash can

Photo Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
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Toilet

• Check toilet for leaks
• Repair leaks

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Washing Machine

• Physical changes
• Install high-efficiency washer
• 27 gallons per load vs. 40 gallons
• Sensors
• High-pressure rinse
• Look for
• Energy Star label

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Washing Machine

• Practice changes
• Wash full loads
• Adjust water level to load

14
Shower/Bath

• Physical changes
• Install low-flow showerheads
• Post 1994 2.5 gallons/minute vs.
• 6 to 8 gallons
• Shut-off switch

15
Shower/Bath

• Practice change
• Take short showers
• Shut off flow
• Use lower bathtub level
• Close tub drain stopper adjust temperature as
  tub fills

16
Faucets

• Physical change
• Install efficient faucets
• 2 gallons/minute
• vs. 3 to 5 gallons
• Install faucet aerators
• Reduce use by up to 60

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Faucets

• Practice change
• Shut off flow
• Keep water in refrigerator
• for cold drink
• Repair leaks
• Reduce garbage
• disposal use
• Look for the new WaterSense label

18
Dishwashers

• Physical changes
• Install water-efficient dishwasher
• 6 to 7 gallons/load vs. 14 gallons
• Look for
• Energy Star label
• Adjustable loads

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Dishwashers

• Practice changes
• Wash full loads
• Adjust soil control setting
• Dont pre-rinse

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Look for WaterSense logo

• New EPA-sponsored certification program
• Voluntary
• Indicates a product or service is about 20 more
  efficient that its counterpart

• Look for logo on
• Bathroom sink faucets
• Faucet aerators
• Showerheads

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Assess your water use!

• Use the evaluation form to assess your own water
  use.
• Assess your practices again later and return the
  form to
• S. Niemeyer, Rm 205 HE, East Campus, UNL, Lincoln
  NE 68583-0804 or to
• Your local extension office

22
Acknowledgements

• Equipment for photos provided by
• Service Reps. Inc. Omaha
• Ferguson, Omaha
• Schaefers, Lincoln
• Photos
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln, S. Niemeyer