Peak Oil Task Force Report - City of Bloomington - State of Indiana

Households can contribute significantly to improved water management
and water security. The average non‐conserving North American single‐
family household consumes about 70 gallons/capita/day (gpcd) for
indoor uses, and an additional 30 gpcd for outdoor uses. Of the 70 gallons used indoors,
27% go to flush toilets, 18.5% are used in showers and baths, 16% flow through faucets
and 22% supply washing machines, while 14% are lost to leaks. 240
1. Flush smart.
A program of conservation by improved plumbing fixtures has been estimated to reduce
indoor water use by 40% to approximately 42 gpcd. The main source of water savings is a
reduction in water used to flush toilets (over 10 gpcd), based on the installation of 1.6
gallon/flush units (even more efficient toilets are available today). However, significant
savings are also available through the use of low‐flow shower and faucet fixtures and from
water‐efficient laundry and dishwashing machines.
2. Behavioral changes.
Some simple and easy‐to‐implement behavioral changes at the household level can
substantially reduce water use:
• Not rinsing dishes before loading them in a dishwasher can save up to 10 gallons
per load, while for hand washing of dishes the use of dishpans can save half the
water needed over washing under a running tap;
• Toothbrushing or shaving in front of a running tap can waste up to 200 gallons per
month of water;
• Keeping a pitcher of water in the refrigerator provides cold water on demand
without running the tap until the stream is cool;
• The initial gallons of cold water discharged when running a bath or starting a
shower can be collected in a bucket for flushing the toilet;
• Using a stop‐valve on the showerhead when soaping and scrubbing
conserves dozens of gallons of hot water with measurable cost savings;
240 Christopher Kloss, Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure: Municipal Handbook – Rainwater
Harvesting Policies, EPA-833-F-08-010 (December 2008).
Report of the Bloomington Peak Oil Task Force 200