Published: Aug 13, 2013 | 16:51 PM

Saving Water Saves Energy

Many Californians know about the importance of saving energy, and many know about the importance of saving water.

But few know about the direct connection between saving both. One of the best ways to save energy inside and outside your own home is to use wa3er more efficiently. For example:

• Letting your faucet run for five minutes takes as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours.
• Heating water for bathing, shaving, cooking and cleaning requires a lot of energy. Homes with electric water heaters spend one-quarter of their electric bill just to heat water. To reduce indoor hot water usage, take shorter showers and wash clothes in cold water.
• On average, the annual energy used to deliver, heat and treat water for only 10 households could power a refrigerator for one year.

Reducing the amount of water that you use in your home not only reduces your energy use, but also your energy bills. When you save water, IRWD is able to reduce the amount of water we need to pump and treat, saving the District both energy and money. These savings are also passed along to our customers, helping to keep IRWD rates among the lowest in Orange County.