Steps to increase water efficiency and make your home water smart

One of the simplest but most effective things we can do as residential water consumers is to maintain a water-efficient home. When it comes to saving water, we must all do our part, and even small changes can have a significant impact, but sometimes it's hard to know exactly where to start.

The first step is to know where and how you use water. Many things impact each household's unique water use. The AMWUA Water Use Calculator  allows you to enter a few pieces of information about your household's water use habits to better understand where and how you are using water. This tool will estimate how much water you need for optimal monthly water usage based on the information you provide. And when you understand your monthly water use, a higher-than-average water bill can signal a leak or act as a simple reminder to practice water conservation regularly.

An essential resource that walks you through the step-by-step process of tracking down leaks using the isolation method and provides links to helpful DIY repair videos is the Smart Home Water Guide  website. It includes indoor and outdoor checklists that give basic but great reminders and new ideas for how you can make your home more water-efficient. The Smart Home Water Guide website's valuable information is available in Spanish on the Guia Para Detectar Fugas  website.

Both websites show homeowners how to find leaks inside and outside - and how even the least talented do-it-yourselfers can utilize the methods highlighted to better understand precisely how simple it can be to fix leaks. Both websites also include a helpful glossary  that contains the vocabulary most often used by professionals in the industry, so homeowners are knowledgeable about the basics when explaining problems to plumbers and landscapers.

Fixing common household leaks, including leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets, irrigation sprinklers, and other leaking valves, can help save ten percent or more water. It's estimated that leaks account for more than one trillion gallons of water waste nationwide.

The Smart Home Water Guide was created by the ten AMWUA cities' water conservation staff, who translated their experience, knowledge, and methods into short and clearly illustrated lessons anyone can understand to help fix leaks and save water. Those conservation experts can offer advice and insight into additional ways to conserve.

While we have a strong water conservation ethic here in the Valley, we can all use a friendly reminder to check for leaks and learn new ways to save water. We can live in the desert because we understand the significance of daily water conservation and efficiency as a necessity and not a temporary reaction. We can all make a difference by being more water aware and making small changes every single day.

For over 50 years, Arizona Municipal Water Users Association has worked to protect our member cities' ability to provide assured, safe, and sustainable water supplies to their communities. For more water information, visit www.amwua.org .