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Earth Gauge: Save Water Indoors

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By Nick Piesco - email

Did you know that the average Texas resident uses about 164 gallons of water per day? In single-family homes, a significant amount of water goes towards maintaining a lawn or landscaping. Indoors, the toilet is often the main source of water use – in a typical home, toilets account for about 30 percent of water use!

Parts of Central Texas are in a moderate to severe drought, meaning it's especially important to conserve water every day. Luckily, there are many ways to reduce water use indoors during the cooler fall and winter months – some don't cost a penny, while others require an investment.

  • No-cost: Take shorter showers instead of using the bath tub. A five-minute shower uses 10-25 gallons of water; a full bathtub can use up to 70 gallons.
  • Low-cost: Install a low-flow shower head and faucet aerators. An aerator can double a faucet's efficiency.
  • Investment: Install a high efficiency toilet. Installing an efficient toilet can save about 4,000 gallons per year!

Find more water conservation tips for Texans at www.wateriq.org.

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