Water Conservation and Efficiency

The City of Brighton Utilities Department is dedicated to providing our customers with a safe, reliable, and sustainable water supply. Our number one priority is to ensure the public health and safety of our customers, including fire protection, safe drinking water, and sanitation. Water conservation, or using water efficiently, is important to help secure our water resources for the future and we encourage Brighton residents to use these resources efficiently.

City of Brighton's Water Conservation Plan

View our Water Conservation Plan here.

Water Conservation Tips

Did you know — According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

• The average household’s leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of wasted water every year 
• U.S. households use 29 billion gallons of water a day; about 30-percent of that is used outdoors
• A leaky faucet dripping at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year
• Old toilets replaced with WaterSense models can save 13,000 gallons of water for the average family

There are several steps you can take to saving water and subsequently, money on your utility bills. Here are some tips from EPA WaterSense:

• Toilet Leaks: Toilets are the main source of water use in the average home. Here are some tips from the EPA to check for toilet leaks: 1. Remove the toilet tank lid.2. Drop one dye tablet or 10 drops of food coloring into the tank. 3. Put the lid back on. Don’t flush. 4. Wait 20 minutes. 5. Check your toilet bowl. If you see colored water, you have a leak. If not, you don’t. Find out more here.
  
  
• Faucet Leaks: Old and worn faucet washers and gaskets frequently cause leaks in faucets. According to EPA WaterSense, a leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year - That's the amount of water needed to take more than 180 showers! Here are tips on how to fix faucet leaks.
  
  
• Kitchen Leaks: From the prime time to run your dishwasher to how to conserve water when prepping vegetables, here are some tips from the EPA that can help you whip up a batch of big water savings: Click here. 
  
  
• Showerhead Leaks: A showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year - That's how much water it takes to wash 60 loads of dishes in your dishwasher! Watch this video to see how you can easily use Teflon tape to replace your showerhead. 
  
  
• Indoor Water Use: From full laundry loads to turning off the water while brushing your teeth, slight tweaks to your household routine could save significant water. Watch this video for tips.
  
  
• Workplace Leaks: Leaks can happen anywhere, including at work. Here are some ways to detect a leak at the workplace and how fix it:
  1. Compile your water and energy bills from at least the last 12 months. Compare readings to previous ones to spot trends or inconsistencies.

  2. Read your water meter and submeters to identify problems and usage spikes. Read water meters during off-peak hours when water use is lower. If the meter continues to show high use, there may be a leak. 
  3. Install leak detection and failure abatement devices on all major water-using equipment, such as cooling towers and boiler systems.
  4. Listen and look for unexpected water use indoors and outdoors, such as running water, unanticipated discharge to floor drains, or wet spots and puddling water on floors or on the grounds.

• Outdoor Water Use: From sweeping driveways to avoiding watering during the heat of the day from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., here are some tips to alleviate your water usage outdoors: Click here.

• Outdoor Water Leaks: If you have an in-ground irrigation system, check it each spring before use to make sure it wasn’t damaged by frost or freezing. An irrigation system that has a leak 1/32nd of an inch in diameter (about the thickness of a dime) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month! If you need help inspecting your irrigation, hire an irrigation professional certified by a WaterSense-labeled program to inspect it for you. These certified professionals will not only help you detect and correct leaks in the system, but also maximize its efficiency. Find out more here.

• Watering During the Winter: Lawns need watering during the winter. High winds, dry air, low humidity, wide temperature changes and more can wreak havoc on our plants. According to Resource Central, here are some tips: 1) Water once a month until March whenever there is less than 1 inch of precipitation 2) Test the ground about every 10 feet using a flat-head screwdriver plunged into the soil; if the soil isn't frozen and is difficult to push in 2 or 3 inches, you need to water. More tips here.
  
  
• Wait to Irrigate: Does the warmer weather have you thinking about irrigating your lawn? You may want to wait to irrigate! Here are some tips:
  • Waiting to irrigate until May will let the grass roots grow deeper into the ground. Deeper roots make the grass more lush and have a better color. It will also require less water all summer. 
  • The soil still has moisture after April and the grass does not require water to stay alive.
  • Stronger roots will mean less weeds. Waiting to irrigate makes grass roots stronger and kills weeds when competing for water. 
• Irrigation Efficiency: As summer nears, it's a good time to prepare your sprinklers for watering your lawn. Here are tips on how to make sure your irrigation system is in tip top shape: Watch this video.
  
  
• Xeriscape Your Landscape: With the help of Garden In A Box, choose a professionally-designed perennial garden kit that is low-water. Through the partnership with Resource Central, Brighton residents get $25 off the kits. Gardens go on-sale annually every March. To see selections, click here.
  
  
• Water Audit Program: Through the City of Brighton’s partnership with conservation nonprofit Resource Central, businesses and homeowner associations (HOAs) can receive a free water audit. Through this program, a trained technician will review your property's outdoor water use and determine how to improve your water use efficiency. Additionally, the City of Brighton offers a consultation for single-family residential customers seeking a more water efficient home. Details here.
  
  
• Saving Water at Home: Simple tweaks to your daily household routine could help save a signficant amount of water. Here are some tips below: 1. Wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine. 2. Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool. 3. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save eight gallons of water per day. Doing so while shaving can save 10 gallons of water per shave. Assuming you brush your teeth twice daily and shave five times per week, you could save nearly 5,700 gallons per year! 4. Replace your old showerhead with a WaterSense labeled model (examples here). By replacing just one showerhead with a WaterSense labeled model, the EPA estimates the average family can save 2,700 gallons of water.
  
  
• Leaky showerheads: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a showerhead leaking at 10 drips per minute wastes more than 500 gallons per year - that's the amount of water it takes to wash 60 loads of dishes in your dishwasher!  Some leaky showerheads can be fixed by making sure there is a tight connection between the showerhead and the pipe stem and by using pipe tape to secure it. Pipe tape, also called Teflon tape, is available at most hardware stores, is easy to apply, and can help control leaks - watch this video for tips. For more complicated valve leaks in showers that drip when not in use, contact an experienced handyperson or licensed plumber. (Tip: It's also a good idea to check, and if needed, replace the washer or "o" ring inside the showerhead while making this repair.)
  
  
• Replacing old home parts with WaterSense labeled products: WaterSense labels products are 20-percent more water-efficient and perform as well as or better than standard models? WaterSense, a voluntary partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is both a label for water-efficient products and a resource for helping you save water. Click here to find WaterSense labeled products to start saving water and money today.