With record-breaking temperatures this summer, and the negligible amounts of rainfall the Treasure Valley received, please consider what you can do to reduce water use while at work and at home. This will help reduce the stress on our community’s aquifers.
How to save water when every drop counts!!
Small actions we can all take will make a big impact:
- Turn the water off when brushing your teeth or shaving. This can save up to 35 gallons a day.
- Install WaterSense fixtures for toilets and faucets. These models can save a family of four up to 20,000 gallons of water annually.
- Use a dishwasher or fill a basin. According to the EPA, you can save 5,000 gallons a year and 10 wasted gallons per minute by using a dishwasher as opposed to running water in the sink. High-efficiency models allow you to scrape dishes instead of rinsing them.
Take this quiz to discover your water footprint! Water Footprint Quiz
Other Resources: EQP WaterSense
Similar to the County’s Energy Use Index (EUI), you can find the County’s Water Use Index (WUI) on the Ada County Operations Webpage This tool is helpful in analyzing and presenting water use data on a unit/sq. ft. basis. One way that we utilize this tool is in determining which buildings have the highest potential for water reduction measures. (Note: Some of the buildings with larger WUI’s contain domestic and irrigation data.)