Water Conservation Checklist for the Home

Dishwashing picture of a checkbox and dishes

If you do not do or do not plan to do the task, leave the boxes blank.

Have
Done 		Will
Do 		 
Cut down on the number of utensils used in food preparation and on the plates and glassware used with meals. This will save on dishwashing used to clean them.
Wash only full loads of dishes in dishwasher. A dishwasher uses about 9 to 13 gallons of water per cycle.
Avoid unnecessary rinsing of dishes that go into the dishwasher for immediate washing. Scrape if necessary.
When washing dishes by hand, use one pan of soapy water for washing and a second pan of hot water for rinsing. Rinsing in a pan requires less water than rinsing under a running faucet.

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Adapted in part from Extension Service-USDA Program Aid Number 1102.

Texas Water Resources InstituteCooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service logoTexas AgriLife Extension Service logo

Adapted and written by Janie L. Harris, M.Ed., CRS, Extension Housing and Environment Specialist, and edited by Bev Kellner, Extension Assistant, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M System, College Station, Texas.

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Last updated: 26 July, 2010

Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.