When the mercury rises on your thermometer, so does your water use. “Peak” water use describes the time of year when residential water use is at its highest, usually in early August, depending on where you live. From lawn watering to car washing or filling backyard pools and washing beach towels—it all adds up to about four times as much water or more than you use the rest of the year!

The average American home uses about 260 gallons of water per day; however, during peak season the average household can use about 1,000 gallons of water in a day. Some homes use as much as 3,000 gallons on a peak day! That’s equivalent to a garden hose left running for nearly 8 hours.

Why Should Peak Water Use Matter to Me?

In addition to putting a strain on our local water supply and quality, peak water use can affect you water bill—and your wallet. The good news is Water in Motion, Inc. is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program to help you reduce your family’s water use peak and keep down utility costs this summer.

WaterSense labeled toilets and faucets helped consumers save more than 9.3 billion gallons of water and more than $55 million in water and sewer bills in 2008 alone. The WaterSense label is an easy way to identify plumbing fixtures that use at least 20 percent less water, even during peak water use season. Here are some more tips to reduce summertime water use.

• Water landscapes only when needed; very early morning or evening is best.


• Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes, and scrape dishes instead of rinsing when loading the dishwasher.


• For a summer refreshment, keep a pitcher of water in the fridge instead of running the tap until it’s cold.


• Put your favorite handyperson to work fixing leaks around the home, which could help save about 200 gallons of water per week.


• Learn more about how WaterSense is helping Americans save water.