Dear John Smith,

We are pleased to provide you with your Personal Water Efficiency Profile. Your profile will help you understand how you are spending your water utility dollars. It also suggests ways you can use water more efficiently.

Your profile presents information specific to your home and is based on your answers to the questionnaire and on your water use over the past 12 months (when available). The more complete your water use history and the more accurate your responses, the more accurate your profile.

Thank you for using the Water Depot Internet site. We trust that your Personal Home Water Profile will help you more effectively manage your water use and costs.



Sincerely,
Colorado Springs Utilities

Annual Water History


Catagories Annual Cost Percentage of Total
Annual Water Bill
Kitchen Appliances $48 12%
Laundry $59 14%
Other Usage $33 8%
Showers & Bath $127 31%
Toilets $56 14%
Outdoor $81 20%
Misc $5 1%
Total $408
"Other Usage" represents water use that was not addressed in the questionnaire or whose usage was underestimated.

Water usage breakdown chart

Kitchen Appliances

  • Your water costs for Kitchen Appliances are $48 per year. By implementing the recommendations below you could save $1 per year.
  • Reduce the use of garbage disposals - they waste a great deal of water - add food waste to a compost pile instead.
  • Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading the dishwasher.
  • Reuse water that you used to wash produce for watering house plants.
  • Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin instead of letting the water run.
  • Don't use running water to defrost frozen foods - thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Whenever possible, run only full loads in your dishwasher. The amount of water and energy used is roughly the same for a small load as for a larger one.
  • Save water and energy by installing aerators on your faucets.

    • General recommendations for Kitchen Appliances

  • Reduce the use of garbage disposals - they waste a great deal of water - add food waste to a compost pile instead.
  • Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading the dishwasher.
  • Reuse water that you used to wash produce for watering house plants.
  • Wash fruits and vegetables in a basin instead of letting the water run.
  • Don't use running water to defrost frozen foods - thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Save water and energy by installing aerators on your faucets.


  • Your kitchen water savings will vary depending on how much you are able to reduce your water consumption for dishwashing and other kitchen uses.


    • Laundry

  • Your water costs for Laundry are $59 per year. By implementing the recommendations below you could save $20 per year.
  • Whenever possible, run only full loads in your washing machine. The amount of water and energy used is roughly the same for a small load as for a larger one.


    • Toilets

  • Your water costs for Toilets are $56 per year. By implementing the recommendations below you could save $29 per year.
  • Don't use your toilet as a wastebasket or ashtray.
  • Consider water-saving devices for any toilet installed before 1994. A 'toilet dam' or water-displacement device can save thousands of gallons of water each year.
  • Repair any leaking toilets. Even a minor leak can waste thousands of gallons of water each year.

    • General recommendations for Toilets

  • Don't use your toilet as a wastebasket or ashtray.


    • Outdoor
  • Your water costs for Outdoor are $81 per year. By implementing the recommendations below you could save $36 per year.
  • In shrub beds use an organic mulch 2"-3" deep. Mulch will moderate soil temperatures, reduce moisture loss and retard weed growth. Don't use non-porous materials under the mulch layer.
  • Use the water from your roof downspouts for watering your garden and flower beds.
  • Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.
  • Condition lawns to use less water. Use a low nitrogen fertilizer. Increase the height of the lawn mowing cut to expand the root system.
  • If you have an in-ground system, install a rain shut off switch. A rain cup or moisture sensor can be added to a timed system to automatically stop the usual watering cycle during the rain or when no irrigation is needed.
  • Adjust sprinklers so only the lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street. Don't water on windy days. Check and maintain your sprinkler system regularly.
  • Install a timer for your in-ground watering system
  • Change the timer setting on your in-ground watering system to accommodate different seasonal watering needs.
  • Avoid over-watering your lawn. Excess watering causes runoff and does not improve the appearance of your lawn.

    • General recommendations for Outdoor

  • In shrub beds use an organic mulch 2"-3" deep. Mulch will moderate soil temperatures, reduce moisture loss and retard weed growth. Don't use non-porous materials under the mulch layer.
  • Use the water from your roof downspouts for watering your garden and flower beds.
  • Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.
  • Condition lawns to use less water. Use a low nitrogen fertilizer. Increase the height of the lawn mowing cut to expand the root system.


    • General Recommendations

    The Water Usage analysis software employed by the Water Audit Analyzer has been used to provide Water usage profiles throughout the United States. However, you should note that your Water Usage analysis develops an annual projection of your water use and costs based on the billing information you entered. It also uses typical weather data for your area. As a result of these and other factors, your actual water use and potential savings from recommendations may vary. For a more detailed analysis of your home's water use please contact a local water specialist.