Water conservation is becoming more of an issue as customers cope with higher and higher water bills. Water companies struggle in their efforts to provide enough water to meet customer needs at a reasonable cost. Building new water systems is expensive, and those expenses are passed directly to customers. By conserving water, customers have more control over their bills and help delay the need for expensive system upgrades that lead to higher rates.

Q. What’s the biggest water use for households?

A. After lawn watering -- believe it or not -- toilet flushing is the number one water use. For a family of four, flushing the toilet accounts for 40 percent of their water usage. Installing low-volume toilets can greatly reduce this amount. If this is too costly, placing a glass jar, a plastic bag, or a jug filled with water in the toilet tank will reduce the amount of water used. After placing one of these in the toilet, make sure to flush the toilet to see if it is still working adequately. There also are times when toilets can leak. To check for leakage, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Wait a few minutes, then check the toilet bowl. If you see the food coloring, then there is a leak which should be fixed. It is a good idea to check for leaks about once a year.

Q. Does bathing rather than showering save water?

A. Many people think taking a bath conserves more water than showering. To check your shower usage, close the drain when you shower. If the water fills up to a higher level than your normal bath level, then taking a bath is the better option. If you prefer to take showers you can check how fast your showerhead is using water. In order to do this, you need a bucket and a watch that measures seconds. Mark the bucket at the one-gallon level. Turn on the shower as if you were taking a shower. Place the bucket under the showerhead to catch the water and time it for 24 seconds. If the bucket is filled near the one-gallon level, your showerhead is working fine. If you find more than one-gallon, installing a new low-flow showerhead will save water. These are fairly low in price and can be purchased at most hardware stores. These water savings are important -- after the toilet, the bath is the next highest household water user.

Q. How often should I run the dishwasher or do laundry?

3. Doing laundry and running the dishwasher are the next highest uses of water. Running both the washing machine and the dishwasher at full loads reduces the amount of water and saves work time as well. The dishwasher is more efficient if the dishes are scraped without rinsing and placed directly into the dishwasher.

These are just a few tips in reducing the amount of water we use. Water is a valuable resource which needs to be treated wisely. Conserving the amount we use will help ensure there is an adequate supply for all of us while keeping our costs at a minimum.