As California faces extreme drought conditions, your commitment to conservation is needed now. Making water conservation part of your daily routine will save both water and money every day.
Here are a few easy tips you can follow:
At home
- Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth, shaving or washing dishes – saves about 2 gallons per minute.
- Install water-efficient showerheads and faucet aerators – saves 1 gallon per minute.
- Shorten your shower time – reducing your shower by just 3 minutes can save about 8 gallons of water.
- Repair toilets and other plumbing leaks ASAP – saves hundreds of gallons per day.
- Replace older toilets and clothes washers with new water-efficient models. These two fixtures are the largest water users in the home.
- Reduce one load of laundry per week by waiting to run full loads – saves about 20 gallons.
Outdoors
- Limit landscape watering – twice a week is enough for most gardens.
- Adjust sprinklers and to minimize overspray and runoff.
- Add mulch to your landscape - a 2-3" layer of mulch around plants helps retain soil moisture and suppress weed growth.
- Water at night or early morning – water between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. to reduce evaporation and water lost due to wind.
Find more tips at
WaterSenseFor water saving tips for businesses, visit the Water Credits page on the City's economic development website here.
Water Wise House Calls, Free Devices and Rebates are available to customers supplied by customers supplied by California American Water.
For more information on these programs see: montereywaterinfo.org
Water Wise House Calls
Residents – both homeowners and renters – are eligible for a free program that will help you save water and money. With just a phone call, a friendly, certified conservation expert will visit your home to identify ways you can save water both indoors and out. Contact the California American Water conservation staff today at (831) 646-3205 to make an appointment for this valuable service.
Free Devices
California American Water and the MPWMD offer customers free water-saving devices including low-flow showerheads, sink aerators, hose nozzles, timers and more!
- Showerheads
- Kitchen faucet aerators
- Bathroom faucet aerators
- Hand-held showerheads
- Automatic shut-off hose nozzles (positive action or trigger nozzles)
- Hose timers
- Dye tablets
- Rain sensors for automatic irrigation systems
- Shower timers
- Soil moisture sensors
- Water wise gardening for Monterey County CD
- Rain gauges
RebatesRebates for customers supplied by California American Water are available for purchasing and installing water saving devices when funding is available.
- High Efficiency Toilet
- Ultra High Efficiency Toilet
- High Efficiency Residential Dishwasher
- High Efficiency Residential Clothes Washer
- Instant-Access Hot Water System On-demand pump or point of source water heater
Detecting Leaks
If your water bill suddenly increases, but you haven't changed the way you use water, chances are you have a leak within your property. Leaks can waste several or even hundreds of gallons a day, so it's good preventive maintenance to check for leaks within your property once or twice a year.
Common residential leaks include:
- Your toilet. It is not uncommon to lose more than 100 gallons a week to a toilet leak. You can check for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank, then watch for a few minutes. If the color shows up in the bowl, you have a leak that needs to be repaired.
- Dishwashers and clothes washer. Look for drips or stains underneath or behind these appliances.
- Indoor and outdoor faucets. Replace worn gaskets and washers.
- Sprinkler systems. Check for damaged sprinkler system heads and system leaks.
Leak detection kits are available by calling the American Water Customer Service Center at 1-800-678-6301 or
click here.
Free Water Conservation AuditsCal Am’s Water Wise House Call program can assist those customers with identifying any potential leaks. and give advice on improving water efficiency at home. Click the link to learn more about the
Water-Wise House Calls Program and set up an appointment or call: (831) 646-3205.
Leak CalculatorUse the
American Water Works Association’s Water Wiser Drip Calculator to measure and estimate water wasted due to leaks