An effective way to conserve water in high-traffic areas is to make conservation “automatic” so that the plumbing does the work. This can be done by “retrofitting” high-use plumbing fixtures such as toilets and faucets with low-flow fixtures. For church and school lavatories, install faucets with infrared sensors that turn off automatically after a few seconds. Additionally, low-flow toilets, dual flush toilets, and waterless urinals are effective ways to reduce water use and are easily installed. Some communities in Massachusetts offer rebates for low-flow toilet retrofits. 

In the rectory, as with most homes, most water use occurs in the bathroom. In fact, the toilet and shower are the biggest water users. Water sensing toilets and plumbing fixtures can help reduce water use significantly. Also, a leaking or running toilet can waste a tremendous amount of water. Make sure to have the toilet and other fixtures checked periodically for leaks. You can actually do this yourself by adding food coloring to the tank. If color appears in the bowl after 30 minutes, your toilet is leaking. A leaking toilet can waste 200 gallons per day. Lastly, water-saving shower heads and short showers go a long way to keeping water use low!

In the rectory kitchen, use the dishwasher only when it is full. Don’t pre-wash the dishes unless you have an older dishwasher (newer ones don’t require pre-washing). For the school or church kitchen consider purchasing an energy and water efficient commercial dishwasher.