TUCSON, Ariz. - Nearly 20-percent of water used in the average household comes out of the shower. A standard showerhead releases 2.5 gallons of water a minute. Consumer Reports says replacing the shower head with a low-flow Watersense-approved head that uses two-gallons per minute or less can save you 2,900-gallons a year.
A few habit changes can also make a big difference. First, try a shorter shower. And quit letting the water run when shaving or brushing your teeth.
When it comes to washing dishes, after scraping, there is no need to rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. You're essentially cleaning them twice, and you could cause the dishwasher's sensors to adjust to a lighter wash and not get them clean.
For best results and energy savings, always run your dishwasher fully loaded. And consider replacing your old dishwasher. New, energy-efficient models us as little as four-gallons per load.
90-percent of your clothes washer's energy goes to heating the water. Using warm water instead of hot for your laundry can cut a load's energy use in half. And using cool water will save even more. Consumer Reports tests showed your clothes will still get clean.
And a word about leaks - from faucets, shower heads or toilets. One drip per second wastes nearly 1700-gallons of water a year.
