Clothes Washers - switching from a standard clothes washer to a water efficient clothes washer can save up to 15 gallons per load. Be sure to fill the washer to capacity each use to reduce the number of loads and save water.
Dishwashers - switching from a standard dishwasher (15 - 20 gallons per load) to a water efficient dishwasher (6 gallons per load) can save up to 14 gallons per load. Similar to clothes washers, filling the washer to capacity each time will reduce the number of loads and save water.
Faucets - switching from a standard faucet (2 gallons per minute or gpm) to a water efficient faucet (1.5 gpm) can save a half gallon per minute. Don’t leave the faucet running!
Showers - limiting showers to 5 minutes with a water efficient shower head can reduce water use up to 12.5 gallons per shower.
Toilets – switch from a standard toilet to a water efficient toilet and try to reduce the amount of times you flush per day.
Mowing less and mowing higher.
Planting native lawns and plants
Utilizing drip and micro-spray systems where possible.
Inspecting your sprinkler system and repairing any leaks.
Adjusting and/or replacing sprinkler spray heads to maximize the area of landscape irrigated and minimize overspray which results in the watering of hardscape areas.
Running your sprinkler system to determine when runoff occurs to establish the maximum duration that you can irrigate your lawn in any one cycle.
Watering for shorter periods (i.e., 5 to 10 minutes) over multiple cycles on designated watering days.
Allowing a minimum of 60 minutes between cycles to maximize soil and root absorption and prevent runoff.
Establishing a water budget (amount, duration, and frequency) for your lawn. Although the City of Vacaville neither recommends or restricts any specific watering frequency or duration, the water use calculator site provide guidelines and tips that you may consider in establishing a water budget for your lawn.
For additional tips from your regional water suppliers and Save Our Water on how to save water in the yard please click here.
Leaks can contribute to major water waste.
Facts:
"10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day (EPA,nd)."
"Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills"
A leak as small as the size of a dime could waste up to 6,300 gallons per month!
Follow us for some easy to follow tips to help you save water indoors and outdoors!
Check your utility bill. Do you notice a major jump in your water bill/usage from one month to the next? That jump might indicate a leak.
Read your water meter- turn off all your water inside and outside of your home. Check the meter and see if it is moving. If you see any movement/number change, then you might have a leak!
Checking on your irrigation can help you save water!
✔ First, walk around your property to look for any visible leaks, wet spots, or depressions
✔ Run your irrigation and look for any leaks that occur when the system is running
✔ Look for any missing or broken sprinkler heads
✔ Look for any missing or broken drip irrigation emitters or punctured tubing
✔ Check for missing or broken bubblers
✔ Turn off your irrigation and check for any seeping sprinkler heads
✔ Check your irrigation controller and make sure to adjust for the correct season and time
Toilets are a major source of indoor leaks. To conduct a simple toilet test, use dye tabs or a place a few drops of food coloring in the tank of your toilet. You can contact the City to get free dye tabs. Wait ten minutes and then check to see if the toilet water changed color. If the water is the color of the food coloring/dye tabs, that might mean you have an old flapper that needs replacing.
In the event you have a leak on your property (customer side of the meter), City staff is unfortunately not authorized to assist you in repairing the leak or provide any contractor recommendations. We do recommend you reach out to friends, family, and social media for repair services and check back with us to see if you are eligible for a billing credit after the repairs are completed!
