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Water connects us all, upstream and downstream, past, present and future. It’s up to all of us to conserve and protect it. We can work together to make sure there’s enough to go around and reduce our impacts on the environment. No matter how you connect with water, it all starts here.
There are easy actions you can take to keep our water clean and save 22 gallons or more every day. That adds up to over 8,000 gallons of savings per year. If every Coloradan does their part, we can save close to 48 billion gallons. That’s almost 150,000 acre-feet, or the size of Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins or Green Mountain Reservoir near Kremmling!
Thank you to Colorado Water Wise and Live Like You Love It for providing many of the conservation tips below.
Share a story or post of yourself taking on one of the Water ’22 actions with hashtag
Each month, five Coloradans who share their commitment will be randomly selected to win incredible prizes such as event tickets, gift cards, and fun Water ’22 items.
What river water or groundwater source are you drinking? Find out where your water comes from, and trace its path through the watershed and to your tap. If you receive a water bill, identify your provider and then visit them online to learn where they source your water from. You can also check out the U.S. EPA’s Drinking Water Mapping Application to search for water providers by address. Knowing where your water comes from is the starting point to understanding how it’s all connected, and why your actions matter.
What river water or groundwater source are you drinking? Find out where your water comes from, and trace its path through the watershed and to your tap. If you receive a water bill, identify your provider and then visit them online to learn where they source your water from. You can also check out the U.S. EPA’s Drinking Water Mapping Application to search for water providers by address. Knowing where your water comes from is the starting point to understanding how it’s all connected, and why your actions matter.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or while shaving/soaping up in the shower. Go the extra step and take the five-minute shower challenge! Every minute with the faucet off saves at least two gallons of water! Consider baths an occasional luxury: The typical bath uses 35-50 gallons of water, compared to 10 gallons for a five-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or while shaving/soaping up in the shower. Go the extra step and take the five-minute shower challenge! Every minute with the faucet off saves at least two gallons of water! Consider baths an occasional luxury: The typical bath uses 35-50 gallons of water, compared to 10 gallons for a five-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead.
Use the dishwasher and washing machine instead of handwashing, and run your appliances only when FULL. Depending on your machines, you can save anywhere from 15-30 gallons per load by filling up and cutting a load.
Defrost foods in the fridge instead of in running water to save up to five gallons of water per day! Compost food waste instead of putting it down the garbage disposal for similar savings. In food service? Check out the Boss Defrost for commercial grade savings.
Faucet and toilet leaks lead to lots of lost water, about seven gallons per day for a faucet and 200 gallons for a toilet. Try these easy fixes: For a toilet leak, fix your flapper; for a faucet leak, replace the washer. Don’t know if you have a toilet leak? Try putting food coloring in the back tank. If color appears in the bowl, you have a leak. Learn more from EPA WaterSense about how to find and fix leaks and access their 10 Minute Challenge Checklist to Detect & Chase Down Leaks in English and Spanish.
Put waste like tissues, dead insects and other items in the trash rather than flushing down the toilet. Every flush avoided saves about 1.5 gallons. What about expired or unused medicine? Don’t flush it! Check out the CDPHE’s Colorado Household Medication Take Back Program.
Install low-flow aerators on faucets and low-flow showerheads instead of conventional ones to save up to 2-2.5 gallons per minute. Look for EPA WaterSense-labeled fixtures that indicate water efficiency, including toilets. The average family can reduce water used for flushing toilets by 20-60%—that’s nearly 35 gallons per day! Since 2016, Colorado has only allowed fixtures that comply with federal WaterSense standards to be sold in state, but pay attention when ordering online because that’s not the case nationwide!
Reduce or omit thirsty bluegrass and replace with xeriscape and native, drought-tolerant plants and flowers. Check to see if your utility has any rebates or incentive programs to help with turf removal and replacement. Get ideas from plantselect.org.
Reduce or omit thirsty bluegrass and replace with xeriscape and native, drought-tolerant plants and flowers. Check to see if your utility has any rebates or incentive programs to help with turf removal and replacement. Get ideas from plantselect.org.
Water in the cooler hours of morning or evening and avoid over-watering to the point of run-off. Try the cycle and soak method: Break watering times into three short cycles and allow an hour of soak time in between.
Install efficient sprinklers like drip irrigation, rotary nozzles and smart irrigation systems. Then, maintain by repairing broken sprinkler heads and changing program settings seasonally. Don’t forget to adjust sprinkler heads to avoid watering streets and sidewalks… they won’t grow! Take a look at the EPA WaterSense “Sprinker Spruce Up” checklist to learn more.
Keep lawns at least three inches tall to encourage deeper roots and better water retention, and aerate in the spring or fall to open up soil so it can retain moisture.
Skip watering if it recently rained or rain is in the forecast. Direct downspouts to garden areas, not sidewalks or streets, and use rain barrels to capture rainfall for later use on plants and flowers. Since 2016, Coloradans are allowed to have up to two 55-gallon rain barrels on their property for use in outdoor irrigation.
Use a broom, not a hose, to clear debris from sidewalks and driveways.
Not a homeowner? Talk to your property manager or HOA about smart outdoor watering practices. And anyone can encourage local officials and utilities to improve water conservation in their town or city. Keep it simple by sharing this tip sheet: https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/lawn-care-7-202/
Wash your car at a commercial car wash instead of in the street or driveway. Car washes recycle and treat the water, which not only conserves, but also avoids soapy water going into storm drains.
Wash your car at a commercial car wash instead of in the street or driveway. Car washes recycle and treat the water, which not only conserves, but also avoids soapy water going into storm drains.
Pick up after pets to reduce the transmission of E. coli and other diseases that pollute waterways, and put all litter where it belongs – in the can.
Use only phosphorus-free fertilizer that is slow release and contains water-insoluble forms of nitrogen to prevent algae growth in rivers. Use pesticides sparingly, if at all.
Prevent and fix leaking automotive fluids, like oil, to keep them off of roads and driveways and out of rivers. Bike, walk, wheel or drive electric cars to avoid many of these fluids.
Storm sewers drain directly to rivers with no treatment, so avoid dumping oil, pesticides, fertilizers, paints, etc. into them.
The best way to remove snow and ice is the old-fashioned way: Clear the snow and scrape the ice. For added traction, use sand sparingly instead of salt, then be sure to sweep it up after ice melts so it doesn’t wash into storm drains.
Install a rain garden to grow beautiful plants fed by the rain, and to capture, filter and slow stormwater. Rain gardens are a simple and inexpensive way for homeowners and businesses to do their part in protecting our lakes, rivers and streams by managing stormwater. Learn more at the CSU Stormwater Center.
Learn more at www.Water22.org and follow Water Education Colorado at www.facebook.com/watereducationCO, www.instagram.com/watereducationco/ and at https://twitter.com/WaterEdCO for a variety of planned activities including a statewide book club and author talks for youth and adults, volunteer days, film screenings, a student showcase, a statewide watershed beer competition, and much more. And don’t forget to share your commitment to the campaign by utilizing #Water22!
Stay connected to Water22.org and follow Water Education Colorado at www.facebook.com/watereducationCO, www.instagram.com/watereducationco/ and at https://twitter.com/WaterEdCO for a variety of planned activities including a statewide book club and author talks for youth and adults, volunteer days, film screenings, a student showcase, a statewide watershed beer competition, and much more. And don’t forget to share your commitment to the campaign by utilizing #Water22!
Volunteer for a local stream cleanup, pick up trash along your waterway, or participate in a riverside or wetland restoration project.
Visit the Water ‘22 Join The Flow page and Events page for opportunities to plug in and learn more about Colorado water through suggested reading lists, upcoming film screenings, community workshops, and links to useful websites and other resources.
Find your local watershed and join others to discuss the opportunities and challenges to maintaining sufficient clean water to preserve the many values for water in our state.
By reducing energy consumption or fuel usage, just by a little, you can help slow climate change and its direct impact on the amount of water Colorado receives and has available for use.
One of the easiest things you can do is to tell others about water conservation and protection. Invite them to take the pledge by using #Water22.
Water ’22 is a campaign spearheaded by
1600 N Downing St., Suite 200
Denver CO, 80218