Tips around the home

A few simple wise water use tips can make a difference in how much water you use.

  • Use a broom instead of a hose to clear debris from driveways, sidewalks, and patios.
  • Wash a car with a bucket and sponge. Use a shut-off nozzle on your hose so water doesn’t run while you are washing the car. A free-flowing hose uses up to 300 gallons of water each hour.
  • Check for leaks. Look at pipes, hoses, faucets and couplings. Leaks waste a lot of water. Even a small leak in a garden hose may waste as much as 700 gallons per day.
  • Save 3 gallons of water per minute by turning off the water when brushing your teeth, shaving, etc. National averages indicate that indoors, about 70 percent of our water is used in the bathroom.
  • Check your toilet for leaks. Put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank. If the coloring appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a wasteful leak that should be repaired at once. Even a small leak can waste thousands of gallons a month.
  • Use your automatic washing machine for full loads only. It uses up to 60 gallons per load.
  • Consider changing to water saving plumbing. Low flush toilets and low flow showerheads seem to be the biggest water savers.
steaming kettle on stove

Tips for gardens and lawns

A few simple water use tips can make a difference in how much water you use outdoors as well.

  • Deep soak your lawn. Water about one inch once a week (twice if it’s very hot for several days). Water infrequently, but thoroughly, so moisture soaks down to the roots. This creates deeper, healthier root systems that are more water-efficient and drought-tolerant.
  • Water early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation. Avoid watering on windy days. Position sprinklers so water doesn’t land on paved areas and run off into storm drains.
  • Help soil hold water. Add organic materials such as compost or peat moss. Keep your lawn and garden weed-free. Weeds can rob plants of water and nutrients. Lay mulch three inches deep around trees and plants to retain moisture, slow evaporation, and discourage weed growth.
  • Consider installing drip irrigation systems around trees and shrubs. These systems allow water to flow slowly to the roots, encouraging strong, deep root systems. Drip systems also reduce evaporation.
  • If you don’t have an automatic sprinkling system, use a kitchen timer or buy a sprinkler timer. You can waste a lot of water in a short time if you forget to turn off the sprinklers.

Tips for landscaping

  • Create a master landscape plan. Include existing structures, shrubs, and street. Your plan will help you install or modify your landscape in phases, reducing initial expenses. In the planning stage, decide how zones of the landscape will be used. Group plants with similar watering needs together.
  • Compost and cultivate. Clay soil absorbs water so slowly that the water runs off the surface very quickly. Adding an organic amendment such as compost helps clay soil absorb and retain water.
  • Consider grass and ground cover. Use turf where it is practical and functional. Grass can require more water, maintenance and nutrients than most other plants. One inch of water, once a week, is just right for most lawns. Water twice a week only during a heat wave. Ground covers, low-water-using plants, and mulches are good choices where there is little foot traffic. Steep slopes, sharp angles, and narrow driveway or sidewalk strips are ideal places for groundcover. Established ground cover reduces weeds and prevents slope erosion. Hardscape is another option. Use rock, concrete, or wood for paths, patios, and other areas of interest.
  • Remember that every plant has its place. Different plants require different amounts of water and sunlight. They also need compatible soil conditions to survive. Group plants according to their needs.
  • Water wisely. The greatest water waster is watering too much, too often. Deep, infrequent watering produces a deep-rooted lawn, which is more water-efficient and drought-tolerant. Plants and shrubs thrive when they have the right amount of water. Consult your local nursery and landscape professional to get advice on giving plants the right amount of water. Use mulches. Organic mulches, such as aged manure, compost, or bark chips, increase the ability of soil to store water. They also help prevent weeds and reduce soil erosion. Apply three inches of mulch in open areas for weed control and less around plants to allow water to reach the roots.
  • Keep up the maintenance. Pruning and pest control will keep you landscape healthy. Fertilize when necessary. Control weeds as they compete with plants for light, nutrients and water. Thatch and aerate your lawn once a year in spring or fall so water soaks into the ground and reaches the roots more easily.
  • Check for leaks in your irrigation systems. Make every drop count.

Water Conservation

Water Conservation and Protection Program logo

This section  provides tips and information on how to conserve water inside and outside your home and/or office as well as The Commission’s Conservation Programs.


You can help the program achieve a 10% reduction in water use per person within 10 years by saving 10 gallons of water per day or start by saving 1 gallon of water per day every year for 10 years. Here are some ways you can accomplish that:
  • Reduce shower time ~ 2.5 gallons/minute
  • Turn off water while brushing teeth ~ 2 gallons/minute

Water Cycle Great Lakes Water Supply Region










Sources: Great Lakes Information Network; Bulletins E-1866-70, Sea Grant College Program, 1985

Why Should We Conserve Water?

Water is constantly being recycled through the earth’s water cycle. However, humans can consume fresh water faster than it is naturally replenished. We all use water, so we should do our part to protect and preserve it. Approximately 3% of the earth’s water supply is fresh but less than one third of 1% is available for human use!As water users, we must preserve our water supply so it will be available today and for generations to come. Water conservation allows us to use water more efficiently and reduce water waste. Making a habit of conservation makes sense.Conserving water is beneficial to our community, because it:
  • Helps protect our water supply for the future
  • Protects the environment and natural ecosystems
  • Saves energy
  • Saves money
For more information about the water cycle, visit the US Geological Survey’s website.

Where Does Our Water Come From?

The Great Lakes are the largest system of fresh, surface water on earth, containing roughly 18% of the world fresh water supply. Lake Michigan is the second largest of the Great Lakes.Nearly 750,000 people in DuPage County get their water from Lake Michigan, provided to them by their local water utility. The DWC buys water from the City of Chicago and sells it to the local water utilities in DuPage County. The people in DuPage County who do not get their water from Lake Michigan are served by ground water sources. The Great Lakes Compact limits how much water can be taken from Lake Michigan and requires all water utilities to have a water conservation program.
Source: The Great Lakes: An Environmental Atlas and Resource Book. USEPAFor more information on the Great Lakes Compact visit the websites for the Great Lakes Commission, Council of Great Lakes Governors, or Great Lakes and Saint Laurence Cities Initiative.
 
DPC Water Usage 71.3% is residential, 26% is commercial and manufacturing, 2% is municipal and 1% is construction

DuPage County Water Usage Summary

Before we can start to preserve every drop, we must first understand how much water we use and for what purposes. Water usage in DuPage County can be divided up into four main categories as shown in the figure.


Source for chart: Summary of data from DWC and Illinois Deartment of Natural Resources Data does not include unaccounted for flow values for Argonne or IAWC.
Note: Summary data only includes Lake Michigan water delivered by DuPage Water Commission Member Utilities to their customers. Data does not include any ground water use.

Did you know?

0

gallons/person/day is the average daily water use for Lake Michigan water users in DuPage County.

0 %

of total water use is for residential customers.