Simple Ways Rockland Residents Can Save Water Indoors

As fall arrives and daily routines move indoors, the Rockland County Water Advisory Council is encouraging residents to look at the everyday ways they use water at home and make small changes that can add up to meaningful savings.

Water is used throughout the day for everything from brushing teeth and showering to cooking, washing dishes and doing laundry. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the average person uses approximately 50 gallons of water each day. Simple changes at home can help preserve Rockland's water supply while also reducing the energy and household costs associated with water use.

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Residents don't need to dramatically change their routines to make a difference. The Water Advisory Council encourages residents to consider these simple indoor water-saving habits:

• Turn off the tap while brushing, shaving, or scrubbing. No need to run it if there's nothing being cleaned!
• Use a cup when brushing your teeth so you only have to run the water once and only use the amount you need to rinse.
• Take shorter showers and choose showers over baths when possible. Being mindful about how long the water is running can reduce both water use and the energy required to heat it.
• Check for leaks to reduce water waste, and repair leaking plumbing, pipes and faucets as soon as possible.
• Purchase EPA WaterSense certified efficient plumbing fixtures to reduce water use and receive rebates.
• Think before you flush. Use the toilet only for its intended purpose rather than flushing tissues or other waste that can go in the trash.
• Fill the dishwasher before running it. Waiting until you have a full load and scraping dishes instead of rinsing them will save water.
• Use less water when washing dishes by hand. Fill the sink or use a basin rather than allowing the faucet to run continuously.
• Keep cold drinking water in the refrigerator. A pitcher of chilled water eliminates the need to run the faucet while waiting for tap water to get cold.
• Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator. Planning ahead avoids using running water to defrost food.
• Wait for a full load of laundry. When a full load isn't possible, select the appropriate water level or load-size setting on the washing machine. Washing with cold water can also reduce the energy associated with doing laundry.

"Every Rockland resident has a role to play in conserving our drinking water, and that starts at home," said Beth Davidson, Chair of the Rockland County Water Advisory Council. "From turning off the faucet while brushing our teeth to waiting until the dishwasher is full before running it, bringing small conservation actions into our everyday routines can make a big difference in our household budgets and our water supply."

Beyond conserving the amount of water used at home, residents can also help protect water quality through everyday choices about what enters our waterways. The Water Advisory Council's September Lunch & Learn webinar will explore two ways New Yorkers can get involved in protecting and better understanding local water resources.

The webinar, scheduled for Wednesday, September 30 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., will feature two guest speakers. Catherine Prunella, Water Quality Extension Specialist for New York Sea Grant at Cornell University, will introduce a new component of MyCoast New York, a free website and mobile app that crowdsources photos and observations of environmental change. Through MyCoast, New York Sea Grant is collecting photos of aquatic litter to help train an artificial intelligence model that identifies and picks up plastic in water. Margarita Santana, Director of Prevention Services for the Rockland Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependence, Inc., will discuss proper pharmaceutical waste disposal, including the use of the Deterra Medication Disposal System. The presentation will explain how proper medication disposal can help minimize pharmaceutical contamination of waterways and its effects on the environment.

Residents can register for the webinar directly HERE or at the Water Hero website at https://rcklnd.us/waterhero, where they can also access conservation resources including free shower timers, a water calculator to determine their home's water usage, rebate information, and additional educational materials.

The Rockland County Water Conservation Project is funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

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Rockland County Water Advisory Council

Dr. Robert L. Yeager Health Center

50 Sanatorium Road, Building D