WaterSmart
Make Your Tap Water Taste Better
If you drink bottled water because you don't like the taste of your tap
water, here are two options to make tap water taste better.
1. Fill a pitcher with tap water and put it in the fridge. In about an hour,
the chlorine will dissipate and you will have a cold, refreshing drink.
2. Buy an activated carbon water filter. Choose a pitcher with a built-in
filter, a faucet-mounted model, or a larger model
that sits on the counter or under your sink. Only
buy a model with an NSF logo on it (which
means it is certified by the National Sanitation
Foundation) and don't forget to change the
cartridge every six months. Filters cost $20$100. However, you'll save money on water
bottles. Your cost savings will add up quickly and
you'll help the environment. According to the
International Bottled Water Association, only 32
percent of water bottles were recycled in 2011.7
Bottled Water
$
3-$10
/gal
Tap Water8
$
0.01
/gal
Free Ways to Water Efficiency
Turn off the faucet while you brush
your teeth, shave or scrub a dish.
Save 2 gallons per minute
Use a hose nozzle that shuts off when
you release the handle.
Save up to 18 gallons per minute
Trim a minute or two off your shower and
collect water for plants while the water is
warming up.
Save 2.5 gallons per minute
Water in the early morning to avoid wind
and minimize evaporation.
Save 20-25 gallons per day
Scrape food waste from dishes and
cookware into the garbage instead of
rinsing it down the drain.
Save up to 20 gallons
Program your dishwasher to skip
the pre-rinse and extra-rinse
cycles. Save 2-4 gallons per load
Wash only full loads of laundry.
Save up to 16 gallons per load
Use an online landscape
watering calculator to program your
irrigation controller.
Save up to 25 gallons per day
Turn off your irrigation 1-3 days before
it's expected to rain. Turn it back on
when your soil is dry.
Savings vary
Inspect and adjust misaligned or
overspraying sprinklers. Save up to
10 gallons per minute per leak
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