The 7 Things That Use the Most Water in Your House

You may spend most of your time thinking about how to save on your energy bill, but it’s also worth keeping an eye on your water usage. There are seven main culprits for what uses up the most water, according to Water Footprint Calculator.

Household per day:33 gallons

Percent of total usage:24%

There are a number of ways that you can cut down on the amount of water your toilet uses, ranging from adjusting the water level to investing in a low-flow toilet. Besides all of that water, there are also plenty of things you shouldn't flush down the toilet. 

Household per day:27 gallons

Percent of total usage:20%

Consider upgrading to a low-flow shower head, which can cut down on water usage while still maintaining a strong spray.

Household per day:27 gallons

Percent of total usage:20%

Household per day:22 gallons

Percent of total usage:16%

And don't forget about all of those things you shouldn't put in your washing machine.

Household per day:18 gallons

Percent of total usage:13%

Household per day:4 gallons

Percent of total usage:3%

Household per day:2 gallons

Percent of total usage:2%

Household per day:4 gallons

Percent of total usage:3%

There are a lot of ways to save water in the bathroom, though some of them might require a bit of an investment at first. Replacing your toilets with newer models like WaterSense, for example, can save 20 to 60% of your water usage. Same goes for your showerheads.

If you’re looking to save money without replacing stuff, it’s all about being conscientious. Don’t leave the sink running while you brush your teeth. Take shorter showers and try not to fill up the bathtub. Don’t throw a bunch of nonsense and trash into your toilet; flush only when necessary.

Fans of Tetris may enjoy making sure their dishwashers are absolutely full before running a load, but many of us run small cycles that could probablyhave fit more stuff. Scrubbing pots and pans without running the water on them is another little hack that adds up. And of course, make sure your faucet isn’t leaking.

Make sure you’re using the right settings on your washer for starters; make sure your washer is set to the proper load size. Using the right amount of detergent is important also, since washers will often add more water if there’s too much soap going on inside the load. And most obvious of all, save up laundry day for large quantities rather than smaller, more frequent loads.