Water Audits

As long as you are not wasting water, it is up to you to decide how much to use. Using less water can save you money in the short term by potentially lowering your utility bill (and energy bill if you use less hot water). Using less water may save you money in the long run as well since increases in water demand are what necessitates expensive water treatment plant upgrades.

There are two primary strategies to save water.

One strategy is to upgrade plumbing fixtures and appliances with those that use less water. This includes fixing leaks! The other strategy, and one that is just as important, is to upgrade the way that you think about and USE water. The Corvallis Water Audit Program can help you make both of these upgrades. Public Works staff can visit your home, measure the water use from various fixtures & appliances, provide some simple conservation hardware (showerhead, faucet aerator, toilet displacement devices, etc.) and will provide you with information on other ways you can save. Most households can save many gallons of water each day by combining a few simple plumbing installations with simple lifestyle changes.

To do a self audit, follow the steps below.

• Check water meter for evidence of system leaks (see more details here).
• Check all water-using fixtures or devices for leaks.
  • If you can see drops coming out of your faucet when the faucet handle is off, you have a leak. Some people will ignore that drip, drip, drip for a long time. Don't let this be you!
• Test the toilets for leaks (see instructions here).
• After you have tested the toilet for leaks, you can determine the flush volume.
  • You will need a tape measure or water-resistant ruler. First open the tank and measure the length and width. Write these numbers down. Next, measure the height of the water level in inches. Keep the tape measure in place and flush the toilet. Note the height of the water level at its lowest point and subtract this from the water level when the tank is full and write down the result. Multiply the three numbers (length, width, change in depth) together, then divide by 231 and add 0.3 to the result. This will tell you the approximate flush volume in gallons.
  • High Efficiency toilets use less than 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf). Some older toilets can use as much as 7.0 gpf! If you have an older toilet, you can use a displacement device, adjustable flapper, or toilet dam to reduce the flush volume while maintaining the height of the water in the tank. This may save some water. The best thing to do is to upgrade your toilet to an efficient model. Toilets certified by the EPA WaterSense program qualify for a rebate from the City of Corvallis.
• Measure the flow rate of the shower, lavatory faucets, and the kitchen sink.
  • The easiest way to measure flow rates is to use a stopwatch and see how long it takes to fill a known volume of water. Another easy way is to use a measuring device to see how much water flows from the faucet in a given amount of time. Corvallis Public Works has graduated measuring bags that measure approximate flow rates from five seconds of flow; they are available upon request. Convert your result into gallons per minute (gpm) using the appropriate conversion factors.
    • Flow from the showerhead should be no more than 2.5 gpm; though City of Corvallis recommends 1.5 gpm.
    • Flow from the bathroom faucet should be less than 1.5 gpm. Public restrooms must use no more than 0.5 gpm.
    • Flow from the kitchen faucet should be less than 2.2 gpm.
  • Corvallis Public Works has faucet aerators available on request if your faucets are flowing at higher rates. Showerheads are available if your shower uses more 2.5 gpm.
• If you have a clothes washer, estimate the water used to wash a load of clothes.
  • Average water consumption for a top-loading washier is about 45 gallons. Some extra-capacity and super-capacity models use over 55 gallons. Front-loaders generally use much less water, with some models using as little as twelve gallons per load (though the load is smaller).
  • If you are considering replacing your current washer or buying your first one, please consider buying one that is water efficient. Look for machines that have a "Water Factor" (the amount of water needed to wash one cubic foot of laundry) of 9.0 or less. The EPA's Energy Star website has information about the water factor of different machines.