Water Saving Tips When Doing Laundry

Wash Full Loads

• Although small loads give you the flexibility to do the laundry on your own schedule, they waste a considerable amount of water. According to the Saving Water Partnership, washing full loads exclusively can save the average household 2,000 gallons of water per year. This can shave hundreds of dollars off your annual water bill and is the biggest way to save water in the laundry room.
  
  

Change Your Aerators

• Aerators are the nozzles in the back of the washing machine that deliver the water used during the normal cycle. Old aerators have a tendancy to deliver too much water to the machine. Look for new aerators that are rated at 2.0 gallons per minute (gpm) or less. Aerators are relatively simple to install---the back of the package should show you how to go about it.
  
  

Purchase a New Washing Machine

• Although it is a fairly large step, purchasing a new, water efficient washing machine is a great way to save water (and money.) While old washing machines do not have water intake standards, all washing machines must now print their water usage on the yellow "Energy Guide" tag found inside new appliances. Shop for washing machines that have a Modified Energy Factor (MEF) of 2.2 or more and Water Factor (WF) of 4.5 or below.