Connecticut State Office of Consumer Counsel

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Water Conservation

Water is often called a renewable resource, but what does that really mean?  Is water an unlimited resource?  What happens to water after it is used and how can you keep from wasting water?  Think about all the ways water is used in your home.  How much water do you and your family use at home every day? 

The table below will help you calculate the amount of water used in your home daily.  It will also help you to determine how you are wasting water.

TYPE OF USE MEASUREMENT
Using water from a tap 1.5 gallons per minute
Clothes washer 30-36 gallons per cycle
Dishwasher 25 gallons per cycle
Shower 2.5 gallons per minute
Bathtub 50 gallons
Toilet 3.5 gallons per flush
Low-flow toilet 1.6 gallons per flush

Check the water conservation tips below to determine how you can conserve this precious resource.

Tap Water - When using water from a faucet, do not let the water run while you are rinsing dishes, brushing your teeth or shaving.  A dripping faucet can waste as much as 20 gallons of water a day.

Washer - Wash full loads only.   More than 70 percent of the cost of washing a load of laundry is in heating the water so use cold water whenever possible and always rinse in cold water.

Dishwasher - Running the dishwasher once a day fully loaded uses about 17 gallons of hot water.  Washing dishes by hand three times a day uses about 10 gallons of hot water each time or 30 gallons total.

Shower - Take shorter showers.  Turn the water off while you soap.  A five-minute shower uses about 12.5 gallons of water while a bath uses 50 gallons.

Toilet - A standard toilet uses about 3.5 gallons per flush while a low-flow toilet uses only 1.6 gallons per flush.  A 1/16 inch trickle in a toilet can waste 24,000 gallons of water in a month.