Water is a precious resource for our community.  It rains in Arch Cape but we have a comparative drought in the summer months.  Help us provide clean, affordable drinking water year round by conserving water and it could also save you money.

In Your Home

• Replace Appliances, Shower Heads & Faucets:  Appliances over 20 years old waste significant water and energy.  Replace toilets, washing machines and dishwashers with WaterSense and EnergyStar certified appliances.
• Prevent & Stop Leaks:  Check your water meter monthly for suspicious increases.  Check all water using appliances, equipment, and other devices for leaks.  Running toilets, steady faucet drips, home water treatment units, and outdoor sprinkler systems are common sources of leaks.
• Only run the dishwasher and clothes washer with a full load.
• ​Avoid pre-rinsing your dishes.  A high quality dishwasher should remove food particles without the need for pre-rinsing.
• ​Install a low-flow shower head  Select a low-flow shower head design which does not sacrifice water pressure.
• Refrain from running the water when brushing your teeth.  Savings amount to 20 - 30 gallons per day.
• ​Use a front load washing machine.    Your clothes are made just as clean with a front load washer and use much less water than top loading machines.  They use on average 35% less water.
• ​Install water aerators on your faucets.  An aerator allows the water pressure to remain the same but can help reduce water use by as much as one full gallon per minute.  Savings for the average household of 15 gallons per day.
• Take showers instead of baths.  Keeping those showers short can save even more water.
• ​Insulate your pipes.   Accelerating delivery of hot water when using insulated pipes saves water otherwise lost if waiting for hot water to arrive for longer periods of time with un-insulated pipes.
• ​Install low flush and dual flush toilets.   Installing newer designed toilets using less than 1.6 gallons of water per flush can potentially save 25 gallons per day.
• ​Find and fix leaks.   Plumbing leaks can result in significant water loss.  A faucet with a slow drip can add up to 450 gallons a month and a steady drip can result in up to 750 gallons per month.  Fixing leaky toilets can save 20 gallons per day.  Blue indicator tablets can identify silent toilet leaks.  
• ​Avoid using running water to thaw frozen food.  Follow safe handling practices and allow sufficient refrigerator thawing time before cooking.

Outside

• Reduce Outdoor Water Use:  Maintain or plant native and perennial shrubs in place of lawns and plants with higher water needs.  Plant in the winter months.  If watering is required, water in early morning in dry months.  Regularly watch for irrigation system leaks.
• ​Water lawns and plants during the coolest part of the day.  It's best to water your lawn and flower beds early in the morning (4am - 8am) or after sunset.  Evaporation is minimized and your grass benefits the most.  Experts suggest watering your lawn deeply and infrequently.  This helps wet the entire root structure and encourages deeper growth.
• ​Water only as needed. Up to 50% of outdoor watering is wasted when plants don't need the water.   
• ​Fix irrigation leaks. Up to 50% of irrigation water is often lost to leaks in drip and sprinkler systems.   
• ​​Use plants that require less water.   
• ​Clean driveways and steps with a broom instead of a hose.  
• ​Mulch around plants.   Mulching around plants helps to hold water in the soil and suppress weed growth.
• ​Avoid running the hose when washing vehicles.