Richfield, MN

The City of Richfield's Water Department services approximately 10,780 homes and businesses within the City, pumping roughly 955 million gallons of water annually.  
The American Water Works Association states the average person uses roughly 60-100 gallons of water per day, while the average family uses more than 300 gallons of water per day at home.  Roughly 70 percent of this usage occurs indoors. 

Find out how many gallons of water you use per day. Divide your total water usage by the number of days in the billing cycle (91 days) then by the number of residents in your household.

Activity	Gallons of Water
Food preparation and cleanup	10-20
5 minute shower	25-35
Standard load of laundry	30
Dishwashing by hand	10
Dishwashing by dishwasher	15
Toilet flushing	5
Lawn watering (1 hr.)	450-550

Encourage friends and family members to practice good water conservation habits. Water conservation around the home can save you money on your quarterly utility bill and protect the environment.   Here are some ways around the house you can conserve water and save on your quarterly utility bill.

Toilets

• Flush only when necessary.
• Do not use your toilet as a garbage disposal or trash can.
• Upgrade older toilets with newer, more efficient models.
• Check overflow pipes to make sure that water isn't draining. We can provide a leak detector kit upon request, or you can simply add dark food coloring to the tank water. Do not flush. Check the water in the bowl 30 minutes later, if the coloring appears in the bowl you should replace the flapper valve or adjust the overflow tube.

Sinks

• Repair leaky faucets.
• Turn water off while brushing teeth and shaving.
• When washing dishes by hand, don't run the water constantly for rinsing. Fill one sink with soapy wash water and the other with clean rinse water. Only use dishwashers when they are completely full.
• Use your garbage disposal sparingly and start composting your kitchen waste.
• Wash produce in the sink or a container partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap. Keep the rinse water and use it to water your house plants.
• Keep water refrigerated in a pitcher or use ice cubes instead of running the tap and waiting for cold water.
• Don't use running water to thaw food.

Showers and Tubs

• Replace your regular showerheads with low-flow showerheads.
• Keep your showers short. 
• Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
• Take shallow baths.

Laundry

• Operate the washing machine only when it is fully loaded.
• Upgrade old appliances and replace with newer, more efficient models.
• Use the proper water level or load size selection on your washing machine.
• Check faucets, hoses, and hose connections for leaks, pinholes, or cracks.  Repair or replace when necessary. 

Outdoors

• Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways, steps, and sidewalks.
• Use a nozzle that can be adjusted to regulate watering spray. 
• Shut the water off at the house instead of at the nozzle to avoid leaks.
• Water your garden during the coolest part of the day. Do not water on windy days.
• Use mulch around shrubs and garden plants to avoid evaporation.
• Repair leaky spigots and shut the water off inside the house when the weather cools down.
• Cover pools when not in use to prevent water evaporation in the hot summer months.
• Install a drip irrigation system. Check irrigation and sprinkler systems periodically for leaks. Repair and maintain them regularly. 
• Set a timer when watering your lawn.
• Spot water-dry areas instead of watering your entire lawn or garden.
• Direct downspouts and gutters towards gardens, shrubs, and trees.
• Consider purchasing or making a rain barrel to collect rain water for outdoor watering.