eco tip: let it (low) flow

this next tip will help you literally stop throwing money down the drain. low flow faucet aerators are a simple switch that will reduce your household's water consumption and shave a few dollars off your water bill. all you need is a wrench and a few minutes to replace your old water hog with something 40% more efficient.

15% of a home's water use comes straight from the tap so just by going low flow with your bathroom faucet will save the average family of four 17k gallons of water a year! standard aerators cost a few dollars and you may even be able to score a free conservation kit from your local utility.

our electric company (of all places) here in so/cal sent us a kit just for filling out a little online survey which made it easy to do our part even though our landlord picks up our water tab. i did a little digging and it turns out that the department of water on kaua'i is the only utility in the islands currently offering residents free low flow fixtures. it's off to the hardware store or shopping online for everyone else.

we also switched out the swivel aerator on our kitchen faucet to a lower flow version that has a neat flow restrictor which, with a quick flick, cuts the water down to a trickle. a welcome water saver when it's time to wash the dishes.

one small change you can make to ensure that every drop counts!