If your resolution for 2009 is to live a little greener, an easy place to start is in the bathroom. In a typical home, the bathroom is where we use the most water. So how do you make your bathroom green? Start conserving water by following these simple steps:

1. Check your toilets for leaks.  Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If, without flushing, the coloring begins to appear in the bowl, you have a leak that may be wasting 100 gallons of water a day.

2. Install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors. 

3. Take shorter showers.  Try to keep them under 5 minutes. You can also save water by turning off the water while soaping down.

4. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and shaving.  Turning off the water can save 4 gallons per minute.

5. Stop using the toilet as a wastebasket.

6. Install inexpensive faucet aerators. By mixing air with the water, aerators reduce the amount of water that comes out of the faucet without reducing the pressure.

7. Install high-efficiency/ultra low-flow toilets.  Look for the WaterSense label.  If you live in Virginia Beach, take advantage of the Toilet Rebate Program and get $75 for each older toilet you switch out with an ultra low-flow model using no more than 1.6 gallons per flush.  For more info, call the Office of Permits & Inspections at 757-385-4211 or visit their website at VBgov.com/dpu and click on the link for "Water Conservation." 

While it may seem a bit overwhelming at first, don't get discouraged.  Start with one or two water saving practices at a time. As those become second nature, begin adding other techniques into your daily routine. By making a few small changes and breaking some bad habits, you can start saving the planet with every drop you save.  Find more water-saving tips at www.hrwet.org.


Source: Pipeline