Water Conservation

The Town of Seneca Falls encourages water conservation. As a consumer you can participate on a daily basis and contribute to the water conservation effort.

Why Save Water and How Do We Avoid Wasting It?

Although our system has an adequate amount of water to meet present and future demands, there are a number of reasons why it is important to conserve water.

• Saving water saves energy and some of the costs associated with both of these necessities of life.

•  Saving water reduces the cost of energy required to pump water and the need to construct costly new wells, pumping systems and water towers.

• Saving water lessens the strain on the water system during a dry spell or drought, helping to avoid severe water use restrictions so that essential fire fighting needs are met.

Did You Know?

• Automatic dishwashers use 15 gallons for every cycle, regardless of how many dishes are loaded. So get a run for your money and load it to capacity.

• Check every faucet in your home for leaks. Just a slow drip can waste 15 to 20 gallons a day. Fix it and you can save almost 6,000 gallons per year.

• Check your toilets for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Watch for a few minutes to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It is not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from an invisible toilet leak. Fix it and you save more than 30,000 gallons a year.

• Use your water meter to detect hidden leaks. Simply turn off all taps and water using appliances. Then check the meter after 15 minutes. If it moved, you have a leak.

Conservation Tips

You can play a role in conserving water and saving yourself money in the process by becoming conscious of the amount of water your household is using and by looking for ways to use less whenever you can. The following are a few tips that can be directly applied to your home:

• Use water-saving, flow-restricting shower heads and low flow faucets (aerators).
• Repair dripping faucets and toilets that seem to flush by themselves.
• Replace your toilet with a low flush model or place a brick in your tank to reduce the volume used on each flush.
• Water your garden and lawn only when necessary. Remember that a layer of mulch in the flower beds and garden is not only aesthetically, pleasing but will help retain moisture.
• Watering your lawn after 6:00 p.m. prevents water loss due to evaporation.
• When washing your car don’t let the hose run continuously. Fill up a bucket and use a nozzle hose.
• When brushing your teeth, shaving or shampooing avoid running the water unnecessarily.

For More Information on conservation: Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense