Reducing water use inside your home is easy.
Just take a look at how much you can save by doing a few simple things:

 

 

 

 

• Repair running toilets and leaky faucets... they waste more water than you think.
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, washing your hands, and shaving.
• Replace old toilets with ultra low-flush (1.6 gallons per flush) models.
• Install water-saving devices such as low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. You'll hardly notice the difference with the newer models now on the market.
• Visit the Water Saver Home web page for a virtual tour of how you can save water in every area of your home.

The largest consumer of water in the typical single or multi-family home is the toilet. A leaking toilet is literally "flushing" money down the drain. Making the decision to replace an older model toilet with a 1.6 gallon per flush toilet simply makes sense.

To find out more about ultra low-flush toilets, or to help determine if your toilet is working correctly, visit the Toiletology web site.

For the results of a study done to determine the performance of a variety of ultra low-flush toilet models, click here.

For an ultra low-flush toilet to work properly and use as little water as possible, it is recommended that a worn or malfunctioning flapper be replaced with a flapper designed specifically for your brand of toilet. The generic brand flappers found in most home and hardware stores have often been found to be less compatible with many ultra low-flush toilets and can cause leakage, resulting in wasted water and an increased water bill. A chloramine-resistant flapper designed specifically for your brand of toilet would be an even better choice, since these flappers resist degradation caused by disinfectants in the water.

If you find you have a leaky flapper, spend a few extra dollars on a replacement designed specifically for your brand of toilet. In the long run you will save both water and money.

The Alameda County Water District is providing homeowners with an opportunity to update their homes with the newest in water efficient fixtures. You may call today to receive a free Water Saver Kit courtesy of ACWD.

Each kit contains one high quality showerhead, one toilet flapper valve, faucet aerators, leak detection tablets and a flow meter bag manufactured by Niagara Conservation Corporation, a top name in efficient water fixture manufacturing. If your home hasn't yet been equipped with water efficient fixtures, and was built before 1994, call the ACWD Water Conservation Department at 510/668-4207 to place your order.

High-efficiency clothes washers can use up to 50% less energy and water than standard washers.  Starting January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2008, ACWD, in partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, is offering a $125 or $200 rebate toward the purchase of a qualifying high-efficiency clothes washer (certain restrictions apply).  Please go to www.waterenergysavings.com for complete details, including the application and qualifying washer models list.

To Qualify
*  Must have water service provided by ACWD at the installation address.
*  Must have either natural gas or electricity distributed by PG&E to the installation address.
*  For a $125 rebate, the clothes washer must hav a Modified Energy Factor (MEF) of 2.0 or greater and a Water Factor (WF) of 6.0 or less.  For a $200 rebate, the clothes washer must have an MEF of 2.2 or greater and a WF of 4.5 or less (see qualifying washers list).

Please contact the ACWD Water Conservation Specialist at (510) 668-4207 if you have any questions.  For pruchases made in 2007, please visit www.conservationrebates.com.

"Water-Wise Gardening in the Bay Area" CD-ROM Now Available

The Alameda County Water District is offering a new water-wise gardening CD-ROM to ACWD residential customers who are interested in water efficient landscaping. The CD contains images of gardens around the Bay Area that are employing water efficient landscaping techniques and links to plants adapted to the Bay Area climate. It includes a searchable plant database where you can access specific information regarding a plant's water, soil and planting requirements and create your own plant list for reference. The CD also contains helpful information about gardening techniques, irrigation scheduling and maintenance.

Call the ACWD Water Conservation Department at 510/668-4207 to order your free CD today!  You can also view the contents of the CD online by clicking here.