Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona

Which of the following is a reason for saving water?

A. Conserving water will save me money on my water bill, my sewer bill, and my water-heating bill.

B. The population is growing but our available water supply isn’t. I need to be thrifty so water will be available for my children and grandchildren.

C. Groundwater is being used faster than it is being replaced. I know the lowering of the water table destroys native vegetation and creates hardship for wildlife.

D. Over pumping of groundwater causes land sinkage and increases the risks of subsidence.

E. Using less water postpones the need for my water company to build new treatment and storage facilities.

F. It’s the law. Arizona took steps early in the 1980's to be sure water would be available for residents through the next century. Toward that end, my water provider is required to help me use water as carefully and efficiently as possible.

G. Because it is the right thing to do. Waste of anything as precious and as limited in quantity as water is a real shame.

H. It’s easy. Saving water can be fun and creative for every member of my family.

I. All of the above.

Answer: (I.) All of the reasons given are excellent reasons to conserve water.

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Did you know that the laundry room is the second-largest water user in your house? A large capacity washing machine can use up to 40 gallons of water for just one load of laundry! Dishwashers are also a large water consumer. Both of these machines take up a very significant part of the water bill every month.

However, there are ways to save large amounts of water (and energy). You can give your water and utility bills a significant break if you follow these simple steps, as suggested by the Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona (Water CASA):

• Only do full loads. If you are just washing a pair of socks and a shirt, make sure that you change the setting of your machine to a small load. This can save up to 30 gallons per load. For dishwashers, wait until the entire machine is full to wash dishes. If you only have a few dishes you wish to clean, do them by hand.
• Before putting dishes in the dishwasher, scrape extra food off instead of rinsing. This cuts down on useless water waste significantly.
• Avoid using hot water whenever possible. Not only does hot water set possible stains, it uses energy that you may not need to use.
• If you can choose the duration of the wash cycle, set it to do a short cycle, unless your clothes are very soiled. This saves time and money!
• When shopping for a new dishwasher or washing machine, check the water requirements of each model. A good requirement is 30 gallons for a standard model and 15 gallons for a horizontal axis machine.
• Consider a horizontal axis washing machine. This is a machine that loads from the front, as opposed to the top (it looks similar to a dryer). Although these models are more expensive, they can save half your water usage in the laundry. Not only are these machines efficient in conserving water, they are also efficient in conserving energy.

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