Residential Water Conservation

Residential Water Use Overview

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.

Resources and Downloads

• Plantlist for the Arizona Desert
• Harvesting Rainwater PDF
• ADWR Water Conservation Tips for Arizona Residents
• EPA Step-by-step Guide to Fixing Leaks around the Home
• EPA Ideas for Residents tips on water-efficient behavior and appliances
• EPA Saving Water Saves Energy: Make the Drops-to-Watts Connection
• EPA What You Can Do – Use Your WaterSense! water-efficient practices for residents
• Calculate Your Water Savings – EPA calculator determines savings from installing WaterSense labeled products

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, and 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). 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.
• Tucson AMA Drought Tolerant / Low Water Use Plant List – Sorted alphabetically by botanical name.
• Denied Plants List – Plants 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 submitted for deletion from the Tucson Low Water Use/Drought Tolerant Plant list and the reason for deletion.
• Plant Suitability List – Plants that have not been grown in Tucson and 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.

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 – Nine Steps to Planning and Designing a Great Yard
• Ch 3 – Your Installation Checklist
• Ch 4 – Xeriscape Maintenance: Healthy Landscapes for Lasting Beauty

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.