Monthly Conservation Tips

With winter weather fast approaching, now is the time to focus on indoor conservation practices. The City of Cripple Creek offers the following tips for your indoor use:

Bathroom Tips

Flush toilets only when necessary, and never use a toilet as a wastebasket.
Spend 5 minutes or less in the shower. Showers use less water than baths.
Fix all leaky toilets, faucets, and pipes.
Check for a leaking toilet by adding a few drops of food coloring to the water in the tank. If the color appears in the bowl after 30 minutes, the toilet is leaking.
Check the water supply lines under your sink for damp spots or bulges in the hose, which may indicate a leak.
Install a low-flow shower head.
Replace an old toilet with a high-efficiency toilet, which can pay for itself over time in water savings.
Insulate your water heater and water pipes. Doing so will save energy and will also cut down on the amount of water that goes down the drain while waiting for hot water to flow.

Kitchen and Laundry Tips

Wash only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Try to wash two fewer loads per week.
Wash vegetables and fruits in a bowl or basin using a vegetable brush, instead of of letting water run. Use the extra water on plants.
Soak dishes that need to be pre-rinsed instead of running them under water.
Scrape dishes instead of rinsing them off before putting them in the dishwasher.
Chill drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the faucet until the water is cold.
Defrost food in the refrigerator - not in a pan of water on the counter or in the sink.
Run garbage disposals only when necessary. Compost food waste instead.
Replace your inefficient clothes washer with a high-efficiency model.
Replace or install a low-flow aerator on your kitchen faucet.