Contacts:
Ashley Lucht, Department of Environmental Conservation, (802) 241-3424
Sabina Haskell, Agency of Natural Resources, (802) 241-1562

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

WATERBURY – The Agency of Natural Resources is urging Vermonters to think about “water efficiency” when looking to save money on energy costs during the upcoming winter.

“The average family of four uses about 400 gallons of water a day,” said Ashley Lucht in the agency’s Water Supply Division. “If you use less water, you use less energy. That saves you money.”

Homeowners who draw their water from wells will see savings too, Lucht said.

“Well pumps suck more electricity than most other household appliances. For example, running the faucet for five minutes uses as much electricity as keeping on a 60-watt light bulb for 14 hours,” she said.

Using less water means having to heat less water, said Lucht. “With the cost of home heating oil and propane, every little drop helps.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Vermonters could save 20 percent or more on their annual water and sewer bills by switching to WaterSense-labeled water-efficient fixtures.

EPA introduced the WaterSense program two years ago to promote water efficiency and protect the nation’s public water supply. Much like the better-know EnergyStar label, WaterSense-labeled products are independently tested to ensure 20 percent greater efficiency than standard options while promising equal or improved performance.

Vermonters also can easily – and inexpensively – cut their water costs by following a few other simple suggestions:

• Fix that leak: Leaky faucets that drip at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year.
  • If you’re connected to a public water system and unsure whether you have a leak, read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, you probably have a leak.
  • A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day. To tell if your toilet has a leak, place a drop of food coloring in the tank; if the color shows in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak.
• Shower Power: A full bath tub requires about 70 gallons of water, while taking a five-minute shower uses 10-25 gallons with a standard shower head. If you take a bath, stopper the drain immediately and adjust the temperature as you fill the tub.
• Turn It Off: The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of two gallons per minute. Changing out your current faucet with a WaterSense one or installing an aerater can save even more water. Using less water means heating less water, further adding to energy savings.
  Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth in the morning and at bedtime can save up to 8 gallons of water per day, which equals 240 gallons a month.
• Make It a Full Load: The average washing machine uses about 41 gallons of water per load. Some front-loading washers can use as little as 5 gallons a load. To achieve even greater savings, wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate load size selection on the washing machine. Those front-load washing machines also spin clothes at a faster rate, drawing more water out, and reducing clothes drying time – another energy savings.
• Don't Flush Your Money Down the Drain: Replace old toilets, faucets and showerheads. If your existing faucet uses more than 2.5 gallons of water per minute, install a high-efficiency, WaterSense labeled faucet or aerator. Same goes for showerheads: Some older models have a flow rate of more than 3 gallons per minute. Replace yours with a low-flow version and you could save up to 37 gallons of water daily.