Flagstaff homeowners use about the same level of water as the average American, which is between 80 and 100 gallons per day. While there is no imminent water shortage in Flagstaff, the city does impose outdoor watering restrictions during the summer and is looking for future sources of supply as far away as Winslow. If helping conserve water is not incentive enough, consider that cutting back on a home’s water consumption can save money. Often substantial savings can be achieved without any feeling of deprivation. Here some tips to decrease water usage so you don’t get soaked by your water and energy bills. Indoors
The bathroom consumes the most water in the house, and a leaky toilet is often the source of the greatest unnecessary loss. To determine if you have a leak, drop some food coloring into the toilet tank. If that color appears in the bowl, you have a leak. Then, check for worn-out, corroded or bent parts. If your toilet handle frequently sticks in the flush position and the water is constantly running, replace or adjust the handle. If your toilet is already in good working order, you can still conserve water by avoiding unnecessary flushing. Dispose of tissues and similar waste in the wastebasket instead. Keep an eye and ear out for drippy faucets. Even small leaks can result in lost gallons over the course of a month. When buying new dishwashers, consider not only electricity efficiency but also water efficiency. Don’t run the dishwasher without a full load. Don’t pre-rinse more than absolutely necessary. Here is a surprising fact: Hand-washing dishes is actually less water efficient than careful dishwasher use. To reduce water consumption even more, consider purchasing some of the low-flow products and attachments at your local hardware store. A low-flow model toilet can reduce your indoor water usage up to 20 percent, while an ultra low-flow showerhead can save up to 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Outdoors
Xeriscape! Flagstaff’s soil and climate were not made for bluegrass (I’m not talking music here). Use rock and native plants that naturally need less water. Collect run-off from your home’s roof using gutters, downspouts and rain barrels and store the water for landscaping needs. The City of Flagstaff also sells reclaimed water. We buy it 200 gallons at a time and drain the tank onto our pine trees. The city sends us a bill that is never more than 3 dollars a month, even when we do many “water-runs” per month. (I often wonder why they bother to send the bill when it has sometimes been for less than the cost of the stamp used to mail it!) We calculated that we could buy a water tank to haul the water and make up the cost from savings on our water bill in just two months. | 
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