Cape Cod water use is over 23 million gallons a day during the off season and over 45 million gallons a day during the summer. Municipal or ‘tap’ water is treated to drinking water standards, yet only 1% is used for drinking. Flushing toilets, showering, washing vehicles, fighting fires, and other uses take up the remaining 99%. There is a cost associated with treating groundwater to drinking water standards. Cape Cod Groundwater Guardians recognize that conserving water is the right thing to do to keep costs down and limit the need to drill new water supply wells.
Water conservation starts at home. Here’s what you can do to help!
| WATER USE | Average Amt | Try this Conservation Tip |
|---|---|---|
| SHOWERING | 20-40 gallons (5 gal/min) |
Take a shorter shower. Save 5 gallons/minute of shower. Taking a 5 minute or less shower will save 75 gallons of water/week/person. Replace shower heads with low flow models |
| TOILET FLUSHING | 6 Gallons | Replace older toilets with 1.6 gal/flush models. Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket. Fix toilet leaks. Often leaks are slow and unnoticeable. Check for leaks by placing a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Wait for at least 2 hours and see if the colored water appears in the bowl. |
| TEETH BRUSHING | 2 gallons (tap running) | Turn water off when brushing. This can save 35 gallons of water/week/person. |
| SHAVING | 3-5 gallons (tap running) | Turn water off when shaving. Install a flip aerator to make this easy |
| DISHWASHING | 20 gallons (tap running) | Wash and rinse in sink or pan. |
| AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER | 15 gallons (full cycle) | Run only full loads. This can save 30 gallons of water/week. Replace older appliances with low water use models. |
| CLOTHES WASHER | 36-60 gallons (full cycle) | Replace older appliances with new low water use, energy efficient models. Front loading machines can use as little as 15 gal/load and can also save on hot water heating and drying time. |
| OUTDOOR WATERING | 5-10 gal/minute | Water in early morning or evening when evaporation is lowest. Install drip irrigation systems which use 30-50% less water. Mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and discourage weeds. Use drought tolerant plants in your landscaping. Minimize grass areas. Use a rain gauge to determine how much water your yard has received. One inch of water/week is sufficient. |