Tips to Reduce Water Use

  • Water-Saving Strategies for Irrigation

    Irrigation accounts for about 40 percent of water use during summer months. Peak demands due to summer irrigation are expensive both for homeowners and the water utility alike. You can save water by planting drought tolerant grasses, watering during overnight hours, amending soils with compost, using rainwater for irrigation and turning your sprinkler system off after it rains. Check out the bottom of this page to learn more about these and other SIMPLE techniques to reduce irrigation water use.

  • Reduce Indoor Water Consumption

    Did you know that toilets account for the highest percentage of indoor water use? Older toilets use 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush (gpf). Modern toilets use 1.2 to 1.6 gpf. Dual flush toilets use 0.8 to 1.2 gpf. Leaky toilets can use up to 200 gallons per day! Faucets use 2 gallons per minute. Turning the faucet off while brushing teeth, shaving or washing dishes can save 200 gallons per month. Older clothes washers use 50 gallons per load. Newer models use 27 gallons per load. You can learn more about how you can help save water, protect our environment, and save some money on your water bill by clicking here.

  • How to Read Your Water Bill

    Conserving water is great for the environment. And it can also save you money! To learn how to read your Rapid City water bill click here.

Water-Saving Strategies for Irrigation

  • Rainwater Harvesting

    Harvesting rainwater to supplement your irrigation can be as simple as a rain barrel or as innovative as an underground cistern and pump to supply a traditional irrigation system. Click here to learn more.

  • Efficient Irrigation Systems

    Timing is everything! Watering at night can reduce water lost to evaporation. Weather or soil-based irrigation controllers can help reduce water waste by only watering when your plants need it most. Regular maintenance of your sprinkler system can help prevent water lost to leaks and that errant sprinkler head that waters the road! Click here to learn more.

  • Amend Soil with Compost

    Topsoil is often carelessly mixed with other layers during home construction. Or you may be stuck with a poor soil that doesn’t absorb and retain water like it should. A compost-amended soil can absorb 4 gallons per 10 square feet more than soil that is not amended. Compost-amended lawns stay greener longer after it rains! Click here to learn more.

  • Use Drought Tolerant Grass and Plants

    Selecting drought tolerant grass and plant species can have a big impact on irrigation requirements. Look for grass seed mixtures that tout their drought tolerance like the Inferno Mix sold by Warren Chemical of Rapid City. It requires less water and stays green longer after it rains!

    For alternatives to bluegrass, check out this flyer produced by the Upper Big Sioux River Watershed Project.

Reduce Indoor Water Consumption

  • Toilets

    Did you know that toilets consume more water than any other appliance in our home? Now that’s literally flushing money down the drain! Older toilets can use up to 6 gallons per flush. Replacing those old toilets can bring your flushing volume down to as low as 1 gallon per flush! Can you smell the money rolling in!

  • Faucets

    Faucets account for more than 15 percent of indoor water use. Replacing that old faucet with one carrying the coveted WATERSENSE label can save you 700 gallons of water per year. Faucets with a touch feature to turn them on and off can make it easier to turn the faucet off while doing the dishes.

  • Showers

    Did you know the dirty secret about showerheads is that they account for nearly 17 percent of indoor water use? Replace that old showerhead with a new one that uses less than 2 gallons per minute and rest easy that you’ve done your part to save the planet. Do yourself one better and shower with your favorite tune! A typical soundtrack is 3-4 minutes which is just about as long as a shower should last.

  • Clothes Washers

    After toilets, clothes washers are the second largest consumer of indoor water use. Older washers can use as much as 40 gallons per load, whereas newer clothes washers can use as little as 13 gallons per load. Look for the Energy Star label the next time your’re in the market for a clothes washer and you’ll thank me later.

  • Leaks

    Did you know that Americans lose nearly as much water to leaks as dollars the US Congress spends in a year? Now that’s a lot of water!

    Here are Bob Villa’s tips to finding a water leak in your home: 1) Monitor your water bill, 2) Watch your water meter, 3) Check for patches of greener grass, 4) Investigate appliances and fixtures, 5) Look for bubbling paint or wallpaper, or 6) install a leak detector, especially if you plan to leave for the winter.

Reducing Water Use Saves Money!

  • Water Utility Savings

    Our local water utility costs more to operate during summer months when irrigation demands reach their peak. The water utility must secure additional water rights and oversize treatment and pumping facilities just to meet peak summer demands caused by irrigation. Those costs are in turn passed on to taxpayers. Reducing our thirst for irrigation water can not only lower your water bill; it can also reduce the burden on our local water utility!

  • Understanding Your Utility Bill

    In Rapid City, your water bill consists of a base charge plus usage. The base charge varies from $12.35 for a 5/8 inch meter to $41.13 for a 1 1/2 inch meter. Then, a charge is added for every gallon of consumption. But the rate per gallon goes up when you use more!

    Did you know that your sewer charge is also based on your water consumption during winter months? Therefore, reducing water consumption can also reduce your sewer charge! Click here for more information about reading your Rapid City utility bill.

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