Typical Ranges of Water Used (in gallons)

Bathroom


• Install a low-flow toilet. Well-designed units give a complete flush with 1½ gallons per flush. Caution: displacing water with bricks or water bottles in old toilet tanks often gives less than a total flush and dissolving bricks can cause leaking problems.
  

• Repair leaky faucets and toilets immediately.

• Flush toilets less often. In many cases, the toilet can be used several times for liquid waste before flushing.

• Do not use “every flush” toilet bowl disinfectants that are placed in the tank or bowl.

• Do not flush facial tissues, paper towels, cigarette butts, condoms, or personal hygiene products down the toilet.

• Do not dispose of unwanted prescription or over the counter medications in the septic system.

• Limit use of antibacterial soap.

• Use moderate amounts of toilet paper. Toilet paper should break up easily in water.

• Install low-flow showerheads, hand held showers with pause control, and temperature balance valve controls.

• Take short to moderate length showers instead of tub baths. Showers use less water than tub baths (5 gallons or more per inch in tub).

• Take shorter showers.

• Shut off water in the shower while lathering and shampooing.

• Do not run the hot water in the shower to warm the bathroom.

• Reduce use of drain cleaners by minimizing the amount of hair that goes down the drain.

• Shut off water while shaving and brushing teeth (save up to 5 gallons per minute).

• Fill basin to wash hands instead of washing under running water.

• Reduce use of cleaners by doing more scrubbing with less cleanser.

  Kitchen

• Install low-flow faucets.

• Repair leaky faucets.

• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap every time to get cool water.

• Hand wash dishes in the basin instead of under running water.

• Limit use of antibacterial soap.

• Wash only full loads in the dishwasher.

• Install low-water-use dishwasher; use liquid detergent in the dishwasher.

• Use low-phosphate (0 to 5%) dishwasher soaps.

• Use the minimum amount of soap necessary to do the job. This is often less than suggested by manufacturers.

• Do not use a garbage disposal or dispose of vegetables, meat, fat, oil, coffee grounds and other undigested food products in the septic system. (Use composting or garbage service.)

• Reduce the use of drain cleaners by minimizing the amount of grease and food particles that go down the drain.

• Use minimal amounts of mild cleaners, as needed only.

• When using drinking water treatment devices, be sure there is a shutoff valve so the system doesn’t run continuously when the reservoir is full. Some units may reject up to 8 gallons for every gallon retained.

  Laundry

• Select a front-loading washing machine which may use 40 to 65% less water.

• Use a water/suds-saving, top-loading washing machine to reduce water and detergent use.

• Wash only full loads. Adjust load level settings for small loads.

• Distribute wash loads evenly throughout the week to avoid overloading the system with large volumes of water in a short period of time.

• Install filter on washer to remove lint.

• Use laundry detergents that do not contain phosphates or bleaches.

• Use the minimum amount of detergent or bleach necessary to do the job. This is often less than suggested by manufacturers.

• Use liquid detergents (powdered detergents may add fine particles to the sludge accumulation).

• Use highly biodegradable powdered detergents if liquid detergents are undesirable.

  Basement and Utility Rooms

• Install a water meter to monitor water usage.

• Reroute the water softener and iron filter recharge water outside the septic system. It does not need to be treated.

• Recharge the water softener as infrequently as possible to reduce water use.

• Route chlorine-treated water from swimming pools and hot tubs outside of septic system and away from drainfield.

• Route roof drains and basement drainage tile water (sump pumps) outside of septic system and away from the drainfield.

• Dispose of all solvents, paints, antifreeze, and chemicals through local recycling and hazardous waste channels. Consult local solid waste officials for proper methods. These materials kill valuable bacteria in the system and may pass through to contaminate drinking water.

• Never let wash water from latex paint on brushes or rollers go down the drain and into the septic system.

• Route water from condensation in high efficiency furnaces outside of septic system (to prevent freezing problems).