California is in the middle of a severe drought, and we all need to do our part to help conserve the little water we have. You’re no doubt already doing things like limiting your outdoor watering and not letting the faucet run constantly while brushing your teeth.

Here are three easy ways that you can cut down on your household water consumption:

1. Install Low-Flow Shower Heads

A standard shower head has a flow rate of 2.5 GPM (gallons per minute). So if you take a 10-minute shower, you’ll use 25 gallons. A low-flow fixture with a flow rate of 1.5 GPM uses just 15 gallons for the same 10-minute shower … so you’re conserving at least 10 gallons of water with every shower! Multiply that by the number of people showering in your household each day, and the gallons really start adding up!

2. Install Low-Flow Toilets 

If you’ve got a newer home, you may already have a low-flow toilet. You can tell if yours is by looking for a “1.6 gpf” stamped into the porcelain, usually near the tank. Low-flow toilets have been specially designed to work with less water per flush — 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf), or even less. Older toilets can use 5 to 7 gallons per flush. So by switching, you save at least 3 gallons every time someone flushes a toilet in your home.

3. Fix Leaks

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average household’s leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year. The EPA also reports that ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day. Common sources of leaks are faucets, toilet flappers, and shower heads … all easily fixed without a major investment.

If you want professional help installing new plumbing fixtures or toilets, or if you have a leak that needs to be fixed, we recommend Bob Sheue at Bob’s Plumbing. You can reach him at (559) 260-1220.

Mini Mops, Inc. is a professional house cleaning company serving residential and commercial clients in the Fresno-Clovis CA area since 1975. We are currently accepting new clients.