How to cut your water use in half

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Consumer Reports

As the saying goes, you can’t squeeze water from a stone. But that’s what California residents have been trying to do as the state’s drought stretches into its fourth year. With hot weather approaching and water scarce in many parts of the country, there are lots of water-saving ideas floating around, but frankly, we admit that some of them seem downright silly.

Picking up an ice cube that’s fallen on the floor and putting it on a plant won’t provide much moisture. Throwing your dog’s leftover water on the garden won’t help much, either, unless you have a really big dog. And you could give all your kids a bath at the same time, but they might object.

California isn’t the only place facing a dry spell. Water managers in 40 states say that even if water conditions remain normal, they expect shortages in some part of their state over the next decade. That’s according to WaterSense, the water conservation partner of the Environmental Protection Agency. That means we all could benefit from California’s efforts to get “more pop per drop,” as a state water authority put it.
The two best ways to save water are by replacing water-wasting appliances and fixtures, and changing your lifestyle and habits. Neither is easy. The first requires an up-front expense and the second a long-term commitment. But do both and you can cut your usage in half or better. That’s good for the earth and your budget.
Outdoor watering accounts for almost 30 percent of water use, according to an analysis published by Environment Magazine. But toilets (19 percent), washing machines (15 percent), showers (12 percent), and faucets (11 percent) also use substantial amounts. Then there’s the 10 percent of water lost to leaks that are not always easy to detect.
In addition to plugging leaks, five of the most effective ways to save water indoors, says Environment Magazine, are to install low-flow toilets, use a high-efficiency washer, reduce shower time to five minutes, wash only full loads of laundry, and reduce toilet flushes by 25 percent. Buying a more efficient dishwasher and installing low-flow showerheads also help.
Despite good intentions, switching appliances and fixtures can sometimes have unintended consequences. Folks who install a low-flow shower may take longer showers, and those with low-flow toilets may flush more often thinking that they aren’t getting the oomph they once did. That’s where Consumer Reports can help. In our tests of those and other products, we measure not only efficiency but performance. For example, nine low-flow toilets made our list of top toilet picks because all were very good to excellent at removing solid waste.
Water-saving bathroom and kitchen fixtures that meet federal WaterSense standards carry that label, and appliances that meet federal water and energy standards earn the blue Energy Star. Both agencies encourage their partners to reward energy and water-saving behavior with rebates, as do many utilities.
Following are some meaningful ways to save water around the house and yard as well as top-performing water misers from our tests of washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, and showerheads.