Average indoor water use in Corvallis is about 66 gallons per person per day.  Where does all this water go?  The table below shows where.  An "efficient home" is assumed to have 1.6 gallon per flush toilets, 2.5 gallon per minute showerheads, 2.0 gallon per minute faucets, 27 gallon per load washing machine, and 7 gallon per load dishwasher.  Note that leaks can constitute a significant portion of the water you pay for.

Want to find out some ways that YOU can save water in your home? 

• Fix Leaks!  This is the number one thing you can do -- leaking water is wasted without any beneficial use.
• Take the "Shorter Shower Challenge."  See if you can keep your shower under six minutes.
• Never use your toilet as a trash can.
• Visit the Corvallis Residential Water Audit page to find out about our audit program or to find out how to conduct your own water audit.
• For more water conservation tips, see our Conservation Tip Page.
• The California Urban Water Conservation Council has an excellent web page with even MORE water conservation tips and ideas.  They even have a virtual tour of a water efficient house that they call the H2Ouse

What about OUTDOOR Water Conservation?   Here are a few tips

• If you water your lawn, check the water conservation hotline (541-766-6733) to find out how much water you should be applying each week.  Applying more water than your plants need not only wastes water, but it can wash away nutrients or soil amendments you have added. For more information visit the Oregon DEQ Healthy Lawns website.
• Water only in the late evening or very early morning.  These are the hours when the least water will be lost to evaporation.  They are also the hours with the least wind so that your irrigation goes where you want!
• If you have clay soil (many people in Corvallis do) or if you live on a hill, break your irrigation session up into cycles.  This can help eliminate runoff and thus maximize the amount of water that goes into the soil.
• When you wash your car, truck, boat, or other equipment, make sure you have some kind of valve on the end of your hose so that the water does not run.