Water-Wise Customers
The 420,000 customers of Newport News Waterworks continue to be water-wise; Single family residential customers use about 60 gallons per person for day of water. That is about ½ the national average! We talk with our customers a lot and here are some of the things you all are doing to use water wisely.
- Fixing leaks that can save hundreds of gallons of water per month
- Replacing older appliances with water-efficient appliances. A top-loading clothes washer can cut water use for clothes washing by 38 to 55%!
- Replacing toilets larger than 1.6 gallons per flush and older faucets can save a family of 2.6 (national average) anywhere from 11,000 to 18,000 gallons of water annually
- Taking shorter showers, which can save 150 gallons per month
- Using rain sensors on irrigation systems and irrigation timers so you are not over-watering the landscape
Waterworks Solutions
Waterworks, as a utility, is a water-wise with our own practices, including during the treatment process. Here is what we do to “walk the talk” about wise water use:
- 9% reduction in grassy areas around our facilities with further reductions planned
- Elimination of outside watering of grass around facilities; only plant materials are watered
- One of our industry’s lowest rate of “unaccounted for water” (water lost during processing and unmetered uses)
- Proactive pipe replacement and meter testing program to reduce leak potential throughout our 1,700 miles of pipelines
- Partner with EPA’s WaterSense Program
- Recycling of water during treatment to reclaim 2 to 3 million gallons daily
- Survey of older facilities to find ways to reduce water usage
- Undetectable pressure reduction to the safest level that saves our system 2 to 3 million gallons daily