Residential Water Conservation

Residential water use includes water used indoors (bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc.) and water used outdoors (watering plants, swimming pools, washing cars, etc.) In Arizona, about 25% of the water supply is for municipal use, and most of this is residential. On average, each Sahuarita Water customer uses about 88 gallons per day, and as much as 70% of that water is used outdoors, especially in summer. Residents that incorporate water efficiency into everyday life will help to preserve water for future generations.

The following information is designed to help Sahuarita residents use water wisely and efficiently indoors and out. Indoor Residential Water Conservation (Provided courtesy of Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR)). There are many opportunities to save water inside the house. Below are general water saving tips and ideas along with water efficient technologies.

The following has been provided:

Washing clothes uses approximately 25% of indoor water use in a typical household. Using water and energy efficient washing machine models can greatly reduce the amount of water used.

Clothes Washers: 
Washing clothes uses approximately 25% of indoor water use in a typical household. Using water and energy efficient washing machine models can greatly reduce the amount of water used.
Water & Energy-Saving Tips and Technologies for Single and Multi-Family Residences provides tips for saving both water and energy while doing laundry along with information for purchasing new appliances when the time comes.

Dishwashers, Sinks, Garbage Disposals
Dishwashers, sinks, garbage disposals and water treatment systems are the most common water users in the kitchen. Along with water saving practices, updated water efficient technologies can save a large percentage of water in the kitchen. Below are links to water-efficient kitchen technologies:

Residential Dishwashers
Clothes Washers
Faucet Aerators

Bathrooms
The bathroom is one of the most water-intensive rooms in the house. Some toilets are able to consume 27% of the entire indoor household water use; and a leaky toilet has the ability to waste up to 200 gallons a day! Sinks and showers use anywhere from 0.5 gallons per minute (gpm) for new water-efficient faucets to up to 5 gpm in older homes. This leaves many opportunities to implement water conservation practices and use water-efficient products:
Domestic Plumbing: Toilets, Faucets, and Showerheads
Water Heating

Outdoor Residential Water Conservation
(Provided courtesy of Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR))
In the average American household, outdoor water use accounts for 58% of residential water use; and 80 to 90% of that comes directly from landscaping practices. This sizable portion is usually due to large amounts of grass or turf, over-watering, or leaky or inefficient irrigation systems. Below are outdoor water-saving ideas and information:

Landscaping
Tucson AMA Drop Your Water Use Plant List sorted alphabetically by water use number (1-3). This list has been developed to assist participants in the Drop Your Water Use plant tagging program to choose plants by water use and group them into irrigation zones. The list contains all of the same plants on the TAMA Drought Tolerant/ Low Water Use Plant list.

Tucson AMA Drought Tolerant / Low Water Use Plant List sorted alphabetically by botanical name 

Denied Plants List – Plants that have been submitted for addition to the Tucson Low Water Use/Drought Tolerant Plant list that were denied and the reason for denial.

Deleted Plants List – Plants that have been submitted for deletion from the Tucson Low Water Use/Drought Tolerant Plant list and the reason for deletion from the list.

Plant Suitability List – These plants have not been grown in Tucson therefore they need to be tested for a minimum of 2 years to determine if they are appropriate for addition to the TAMA Low Water Use/Drought Tolerant Plant list. Growers will coordinate with the Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tohono Chul Park and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum to test various plants for suitability. Plants deemed suitable can be resubmitted for addition to the TAMA plant list after testing.

Xeriscape
Landscaping with Style in the Sonoran Desert is an illustrated guide that covers Xeriscape principles, landscape planning and design, installation, maintenance, and resources. Beautiful photos provide inspiration and design ideas. For the interactive, online version, go to www.landscapewithstyle.com

Ch 1 – Xeriscape Principles
Ch 2 – NineSteps to Planning and Designing a Great Yard
Ch 3 – Your Installation Checklist
Ch 4 – Xeriscape Maintenance: Healthy Landscapes for Lasting Beauty
Developed by the Arizona Department of Water Resources, 2000

Irrigation Systems
Guidelines of Landscape Drip Irrigation Systems covers drip irrigation in detail, including design, materials, installation, maintenance, operation and repair. It includes estimated water requirements for plants in Phoenix and Tucson, watering frequencies, and a simplified approach for determining landscape watering schedules. The Guidelines are useful for homeowners, contractors, developers and municipalities. Developed by the Arizona Landscape Irrigation Guidelines Committee with funding from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, 1999. Reprinted by AMWUA in 2001.