Our union friends at Plumbers 75 have provided a list of things we can do this summer to conserve the water we use gardening and maintaining our lawns.

• Water your yard before 8 a.m. to reduce evaporation.

• Install a smart sprinkler controller on your garden hose. You can water your lawn exactly the way you need using zone controls, and timer and programming functions.

• Use a broom or blower to clean driveways and sidewalks.

• Check your sprinkler system for leaks, overspray and broken sprinkler heads.

• Use organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation.

• Plant flowers, trees, and bushes that require less watering and are appropriate for our Wisconsin climate conditions.

• Use a shut-off nozzle on your hose.

• Raise the lawn mower blade to at least three inches. A higher cut encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soil moisture better than a closely-clipped lawn.

• Collect water from your roof to water your garden.

• Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
• If you shorten your shower by one or two minutes, you can save 5 gallons per day, per shower.
• Fix any leaky faucets and save 20 gallons per day.
• Wash only full loads of laundry and you can save 15 to 50 gallons per load.
• Replace your clothes washer with an Energy Star approved clothes washer.
• Use a water meter to check for hidden water leaks.
• Don’t use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket.
• Insulate your water pipes.
• Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators.
• Only wash full dishwasher loads.
• If washing dishes by hand, turn the faucet on only when it’ time to rinse.
• Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the tank and waiting to see if coloring appears in the bowl. Then flush to make sure tank is not stained.
• Don’t let the water run while shaving.
• Store drinking water in the refrigerator. Don’t run the tap until it gets cold.
• Use the garbage disposal sparingly.
• When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants.
• Don’t use running water to thaw food.
• Replace or adjust any toilet handles that frequently stick in the flush position.

First, a little history. In 1994, the U.S. government set off a firestorm when it mandated homeowners and businesses to switch their water guzzling toilets to ones that were more energy-efficient. Toilets that had been using 3.5 gallons of water every time you flushed would now have to use less than half that amount. Back then the manufacturing sector was caught a little off-guard and had to scramble to create water-efficient toilets that used only 1.6 gallons per flush or gpf.

Today, technology is ahead of the game. There are a host of products, including toilets, showerheads, urinals and even water irrigation systems that save water and protect the environment. What you decide to buy is voluntary. There are no new mandates that say you have to buy green, but if you decide to go this route, check out the EPA’s WaterSense website. You’ll find a substantial list of companies that have voluntarily partnered with the EPA to make water-efficient products – some falling well below the EPA’s current guidelines.

Justin Castleman, owner of Castleman & Sons Plumbing, has invested a lot of time and energy learning about green initiatives in the plumbing industry. He says some of the new toilets are so amazing; he makes visits to schools and communities to show what they can do using as little as 0.8 gallons of water per flush. Recently, Castleman took one of these new, water-efficient toilets to “Science Night” at Country Dale Elementary in Franklin. To the delight of the students, he flushed three potatoes, a cell phone and a 2.5-in. rubber ball down the toilet all at once. He does emphasize to kids, “do not do this at home,” but what better way to show how well these toilets work using very little water?

Castleman says there are three types of water-efficient toilets to consider:

1. Syphon Jet Toilets. This is the toilet most of us are used to. It uses about 1.28 gal. of water every time you flush, so it’s well below the industry standard of 1.6 gpf. Syphon Jet toilets are the least expensive.

2. Washdown Toilets. These toilets have the dual flush feature that lets you determine if and when you need a half flush (0.8 gpf) or the power of a full flush (1.6 gpf).

3. Pressure-assisted Toilets. These toilets perform and look like traditional toilets, but use a lot less water (1.0 to 1.1 gpg) and strong pressure every time you flush. The downside is these toilets are a bit noisy.

Just how much money can you save with a water-efficient toilet? It’s estimated that one-third of our water usage in the home comes from flushing toilets. If you can cut the amount of water you use by half every time you use the toilet, the savings can really add up.

Deciding which toilet is right for you comes down to your own needs and preferences, and your current plumbing. If you have a newer home this shouldn’t be an issue. If you have an older home, you should probably talk to a professional plumber who can look at your plumbing and help you decide what to do.