State of Georgia has continued to worsen; so it is anticipated that additional requirements will be instituted but currently there is no level beyond 4.  Some of the conservation tactics below use brown water for watering of plants.  To meet the requirements above, brown water should only be used for indoor plants and to avoid using clean water within the home. 

On 10/20/07, Governor Perdue declared 85 counties in Georgia as a state disaster area and has asked the Federal Government for assistance with the drought.

 Some 650 million gallons of water are used in Metro Atlanta every day.  A breakdown of water is as follows.  Note that all residential use is 55% of the total water use.

Water Facts

·          Less than 3% of the water produced at a large municipal water treatment plant is used for drinking purposes.

·          Avoid pouring brown water down the drain when there may be another use for it. Use it to water your indoor plants or garden.  Brown water results from general laundry, bathing, washing dishes, washing vegetables, etc. Black water results from the toilet use, washing injuries, and any other items cleaned from sickness and should not be reused.

·          The water meter can become a useful tool in increasing water efficiency.  Check the meter to determine how water is being used daily and to detect slow leaks.  The water meter is generally near the street and is covered by a housing with a viewing opening.

Toilet (24% of home water use)  

·          Check for toilet leaks by listening as the tank completes filling.  If there is a leak, one will hear water leaking into the bowl following by the valve releasing more water into the tank. 

·          Most leaks are caused by an old flapper that is no longer sealing.  Carefully open the top and check the flapper design to purchase a identical replacement and install it. 

·          Avoid using caustic toilet bowl cleaners such as toilet tank tablets. These products alter the pH of water in your toilet tank and damage plastic and rubber toilet parts causing severe leaks.

·          If the toilet handle sticks, repair or replace it.

·          Consider purchasing a low-volume 1.6 gallon-flush toilet that uses less than half the water of older models (3.5 gallons),  A less expensive action for older models (pre-1993)  is to place a quart milk container with water in the tank to displace some of the water.  For the older models, 3 gallons are needed to properly flush.  Avoid placing bricks in tanks as they may decompose. Dual flush toilets use 0.8 and 1.6 gallons per flush.  If your present drain system blocks often, select a toilet rated high for "drain carrying."  Otherwise, flush solids, second flush paper.

·          Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues and other waste in the trash rather than the toilet and save 3.5 gallons.

·          In extreme cases, use brown water or rain barrel water to refill the tank.  The top is easily broken; so use care when handling and setting aside.

·          In extreme cases, flush less frequently.  “If it is yellow, let it mellow; if it’s brown flush it down.

Outside Watering (20%) Eliminated by local regulation

Shower (17%)

·          Take shorter showers by turn the water on to get wet and then off; shampoo the hair, rinse with water, and turn off; soap the body, rinse with water, and turn off.  This will save about 8 gallons per shower.

·          Replace your showerhead with a low-flow version or add a flow resistor just before the head.  Older showers can use up to 6-8 gallons of water per minute fully opened.  As of 1994, new shower heads use no more than 2.5 gallons per minute.

·          Place a bucket in the shower to catch excess brown water for watering plants and other uses.  Normally this is warm up water before you get into the shower.  Just be careful and be safe.  Water saved is 1-3 gallons per shower.

Laundry (14%)

·          Check hoses for cracks and possible leaks.  Replace if cracks are found.

·          Operate automatic clothes washers fully loaded whenever possible and use the sudsaver feature. Avoid the extra rinse cycle.

·          Match the water level for the size of your load, how soiled the clothes are,  and chose the shortest cycle that is acceptable.

·          Washing in cold water saves energy but does not save water.

·          Pre-treat stains to avoid rewashing.

·          New high efficient washing machines and dishwashers save almost half on water used per load (Top loader 40 gallons, front loader 24 gallons).  Look for the EnergyStar label and compare the amount of water used for the same tub capacity.

Faucets (11%, 2 gallons per minute average)

·          Turn off faucets when not in use and don’t run water without closing the drain.

·          Retrofit all household faucets by installing low flow aerators as was mentioned above with the showerheads. Faucet aerators with flow rates of 0.5-1.5 gallons per minute are available at low cost.

·          If faucets are dripping, replace washers.  One drop per second wastes 10-20 gallons of water per day and further damages the rubber washer.!

·          Look for the Water Sense label in 2008 for replacement faucets.  These will save 1.5 gallons per minute.

   Bath Faucets

·          Don't let the water run while brushing your teeth, rinse your toothbrush initially and then again after you brush.  Savings is 50 gallons per person per month (Save 4 gallons per occurrence). 

·          Don't let the faucet run while you are washing your face, wet the washcloth before and rinse the washcloth after you (Save 4 gallons per occurrence).

·          Don't let the faucet run while you are shaving or use an electric shaver  (Save 4 gallons per occurrence).

   Kitchen Faucets

·          Consider using throw away dishes, cups, and silverware whenever practical.  These save lots of cleanup water.

·          When hand washing dishes, fill a container with soapy water and a second with rinse water containing a small amount of chlorine bleach, Then hand dry the dishes.  The washing sequence is glasses, dishes, silverware, bowls, and cookware.

·          Store drinking water in the refrigerator to avoid running the faucet and waiting for the cooler water (Save 1-2 gallons per occurrence).

·          Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator, or use the defrost setting on your microwave rather than running water over frozen foods.

·          When you turn on the hot side of the faucet, capture the cooler water for other uses such as plant watering or heat it on the stove or in a microwave while you are waiting for the hot side to warm up (Save 3-5 gallons per occurrence).

·          Clean vegetables in a pan filled with water rather than running water from the tap. Re-use the water that vegetables are washed in for cleaning or watering plants (Save 4-6 gallons per occurrence).

·          When cooking select the smallest pan for the job and thus save water and energy.

·          Avoid using the kitchen sink disposal whenever possible. The alternatives are to start a compost pile for plant waste and the garbage for grease and meat waste (Save 2 gallons per occurrence).

Bathtubs, Dishwasher, and Other (4%)

·          For adults, take showers rather than baths.  A full tub requires 70 gallons of water while a five-minute showers uses 10-15 gallons. Typical use is 30-50 gallons.

·          For bathing babies, small children, and pet, only fill the bathtub as much as you need or use a smaller container .

·          Make sure that your bathtub drain plug does not leak.  Replace if necessary.  Reuse the water but not on plants.

·          With the use of throwaway plates, cups, and silverware, the frequency of the use of the dishwasher decreases.

·          Use dishwashers when they are fully loaded and select the shortest cycle for what is in the dishwasher to use less water. 

·          When loading, do not rinse, just remove food particles and put the dishes in the dishwasher.    Savings is 100's of gallons per month.

·          Use hand washing for a few dishes and use two pans, one with soap and one to rinse.

·          Most home water treatment systems such as point-of-use filters do not consume water.  However if there is water softener or reverse osmosis system, there is only the choice of leaving it on or off.  For systems that are turned off, there may be complications in resuming operations.

Pool and Spa

·          Use a cover to reduce evaporation and drop the water temperature to further reduce evaporation.

·          Manually clean the filter.  Back washing can use 250-1000 gallons of water.

·          For extreme situations discontinue the use of pool or spa.

Long Term Water Conservation

·          When given the opportunity, consider installing an inline hot water heater rather than the hot water tank or instant hot water heater on your sink to save both water and energy.

·          Insulate the hot water lines after the heater to reduce heat loss and provide warmer water sooner.

·          If you are considering installing a new heat pump or air-conditioning system, the use the air-to-air types which are just as efficient as the water-to-air type and do not use water.

Community Action

·          Follow water conservation and water shortage rules in effect even if you are using a well.

·          Encourage your employer to promote water conservation in the workplace.

·          Support businesses that practice water conservation, i.e. restaurants that only serve water upon request.

·          Report broken water pipes, open hydrants, running sprinklers, to the property owner, or local authorities.

·          Encourage your school system and local government to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic.

·          Participate in public water conservation meetings conducted by your local government or utility.

·          Promote water conservation in community newsletters, on bulletin boards, and by example. 

·          Support projects that will lead to an increased use of reclaimed brown water for irrigation and other uses.