Water


Why should you conserve water?

  • faucet dripping waterWater is a finite resource. Less than 1% of all the water on earth is available for human use.
  • Heating water accounts for about 20% of your home’s energy use. Reducing your hot water use can help you reduce your monthly water heating bills.

How to conserve:

  • Buy and install products with high water efficiency and performance. Look for the WaterSense Label designating products that are 20% more efficient than average. Products include faucets, shower heads, toilets, and more.
  • Avoid baths and keep showers short to reduce hot water use.
  • Washing dishes by hand is less efficient than running a full dishwasher.  Using the shortest wash setting on your dishwasher saves even more energy.
  • If you have to wash dishes by hand, plug up the sink or use a wash tub. Letting your faucet run for five minutes while washing dishes can waste 10 gallons of water.
  • If possible, irrigate your landscapes with rainwater or “Grey Water”, the water from sinks, showers, and washing machines.

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Office of Sustainability
312-314 Corbett Hall
Orono, Maine 04469-5774
Tel: 207.581.1571
sustainability@maine.edu