City of Madison Logo
Image: Water Header

Environmental Initiatives:


Home Conservation

Madison Water Utility is leading an effort to develop a comprehensive water conservation program for the city.  Expected to be implemented in 2008, the plan will look at a variety of things that can be done by the city and its residents and businesses to reduce our impact on the water resources that help make Madison such a great place to live, work and play.  To learn more about the effort, follow this link.

 

Careful water use is very cool!

Go to:

Image: At Your Service

Is there a leak?

Any water-using device or pipe connection can leak.  There is usually some evidence of such problems, but the evidence isn't always obvious:  A toilet leak can be noisy but it can also be rather quiet; a dripping faucet can be overlooked.  Checking the water meter can be a good way of finding out if there is a water leak:

  • The meter in the basement may have a small (1/4-inch) "leak detector" dial, a blue gear-like fitting visible on the face of the meter with no numbers or markings.  If there is any movement of that dial when water isn't in use, there is likely to be a leak.  (Be sure the water softener isn't cycling and no other water-using appliances are operating when you check this.)
  • The meter in the basement shows movement of water through the meter, registering on a digital display, including tenths and hundredths, and often on a one-cubic-foot dial showing the precise amount of water being used.  Checking the meter for any change in the display or movement on the dial after a period of time when no water has been used will reveal whether any water is being lost.
  • The register on the outside of the house shows a digital display to tenths of cubic foot (7.48 gallons) and can also be checked for any registration when no water has been in active use. 

Repair Leaky Faucets:
At one drop a second, a leaky faucet can waste more than 3000 gallons of water in a year. Most leaks are easily repaired with basic know-how and simple tools. Good reference books and articles are available, hardware store and home center staff can be very helpful--and the cost of a plumber may be minor compared to the costs of damage.  Here is a link to a "drip calculator."

Toilet Leaks:
Listen and watch for toilet leaks. To test for "flapper" leaks, put a coloring agent--food coloring, egg dye or other water-soluble color--in the toilet tank, and check to see whether any of the color leaks into the toilet bowl within ten minutes. Flapper replacement is the most common remedy for such leaks. Check float ball assemblies for corrosion of metal components that may prevent the shutoff of water refilling the tank so that it runs over into the overflow pipe; such leaks won't show in a dye test but can cause great water loss.

Backflow Prevention Devices:
Install Backflow prevention devices on outdoor faucets, sprinkler system, and laundry tubs, or any other threaded faucet. The devices, available in most hardware stores, prevent possible contamination by reverse flow of products used in the home or garden into the water distribution system.

Good Practices:

  • Install water-saving devices: Aerators for kitchen and bath taps, flow regulators for shower heads and toilet tanks, and displacement devices to reduce the amount of water used in older toilets can make significant reductions in water used.
  • Use automatic shutoff attachments on hoses, and don't let the water run unnecessarily while washing the car or for other outdoor uses.
  • Use the most efficient settings for dishwashers and clothes washing machines. Full loads are often the most efficient. When it's time to replace appliances, consider water efficiency in your choice.
  • Use nontoxic and biodegradable soaps and cleansers, or try environmentally friendly options:  Baking soda provides abrasive nontoxic cleaning; vinegar's acidity makes it a good cleaning option when mixed with water; borax is an effective laundry cleaning agent as well as abrasive.
  • Turn off the tap when not actively rinsing (toothbrush or razor as well as in the kitchen) or washing hands.
  • Think of practices and habits that might be changed to make a difference. Can showers be shorter? Sidewalk and driveway swept rather than hosed?
  • Electrical energy is needed to pump water from the well and send it to our homes and work places. Conserving energy and water is critical during electrical power shortages, and makes very good sense all of the time.
  • Activities that use significant amounts of water--both indoors and outdoors--can be timed to help manage periods of high demand for electricity.
  • When it's time to replace appliances, purchase more energy-efficient and water-efficient ones.   Initial costs may take some time to be offset by water savings, but savings for electricity use are often very quick, rebates are sometimes offered, and there are often other features on the newer appliances that help compensate for the aggravation, expense, and use of resources involved with replacing the earlier model. 
  • Household toxic wastes?  Flushing or pouring toxic substances down the drain and into the sanitary sewer system isn't a good practice for disposing of them.  Toxic materials may end up in our water supply, or someone else's. 
  • How about that garbage disposal?  Instead of grinding up food wastes and sending them into the sanitary sewer system, use them for making compost--or grind them up into pretty-near compost in the food processor or blender to speed things along.
Other Resources: