Jul 11, 2007 10:53 pm US/Eastern
Look Around Your Home For Places To Save Water
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MIAMI-DADE (CBS4) ―
Angela Young is a stay-at-home mom with lots to take care of: her children, the house and bills to pay. The one bill on her mind right now is water.
Young admits her family uses a lot of it especially at a time when water managers have put into effect unprecedented conservation orders.
She said, "It gets costly, especially now that I am home more. The water bill has definitely increased."
Miami-Dade residents use about 347-million gallons of water a day. As Lake Okeechobee is at an all-time record low, Jose Fuentes, South Florida Water Management District, says it's the perfect time for households to observe their own home as a place to conserve.
Room by room, there is something one can do. For example, check that faucets are off, and if not, it's probably time to put in a new washer.
Fuentes says on average, up to 7,000- gallons of water could be saved with a standard washer.
In the bathroom, high-efficiency showerheads conserve water. On the average, a five-minute shower can use between 25 and 40 gallons of water. There are newer, more efficient versions that allow you to shower with only 7.5-gallons.
There are other conservation measures one doesn't even think about, like the water that continues to run when we brush our teeth. Fuentes says for every minute you let the water run out of the faucet, another gallon goes with it.
The appliances we take for granted, the dishwasher, the washing machine, are big users of water. One reminder is to save that wash for a full load.
Moving outside, fifty-percent of water consumption goes into landscaping. One recommendation is make sure hoses have nozzles, and put a rain gauge out there so you know the amount of rainwater that's fallen.
An important message from water managers is that conserving begins at home with some basic household items that if properly attended to could save a lot in water consumption and money spent.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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