Small changes in your bathroom and kitchen can lead to significant savings on your water bill. You don’t have to take shorter showers or reuse pasta water to make a difference. Upgrading your plumbing fixtures to water-efficient models helps you cut waste without changing your daily routine. Pure Plumbing & Air in Las Vegas, NV helps homeowners pick innovative, reliable plumbing solutions for the planet and the wallet. If you’re ready to use less without giving up comfort, we can help you learn how.
Why Fixture Choice Matters
You might be surprised to discover how much water everyday fixtures use. Older toilets flush more than twice as much water as newer models. Standard showerheads sometimes send out more water than your pipes can handle, wasting both water and the energy used to heat it.
By swapping out just a few fixtures and installing plumbing fixtures with water-conserving features, you can change how your house uses water without changing how you live. You still take the same long shower. You still wash your hands the same way. But behind the scenes, the system does more with less. That’s where real savings begin — not just on your water bill but also on your gas or electricity usage if you heat water for daily tasks.
High-Efficiency Toilets That Work Better, Not Harder
Toilets account for a surprising chunk of household water use. Older toilets often use up to 3.5 gallons of water with each flush while newer low-flow versions typically use 1.28 gallons or even less. Each flush adds up fast, especially in homes with multiple bathrooms or larger families.
If you’re worried that a low-flow toilet won’t clear the bowl properly, that’s a common concern, but the technology has come a long way. Pressure-assisted models give extra force behind each flush without using more water. Some gravity-fed toilets with advanced bowl designs and larger trapways flush quickly and completely with less water.
Dual-flush toilets give you two options with every use. One button flushes a smaller amount of liquid waste, and the other uses a full flush for solid waste. If you pick the right model, you get performance without extra flushing. And if you’ve been relying on a decades-old toilet that sounds like it’s working but isn’t efficient, switching out can make a noticeable dent in your water usage without affecting your routine.
Showerheads That Feel Great But Use Less Water
You probably don’t think much about your showerhead until the water feels weak or the spray pattern gets clogged. But the difference between an old model and a WaterSense-labeled high-efficiency head can be dramatic. Standard models often run at 2.5 gallons per minute or more. Many low-flow models use 2.0, 1.8, or even 1.5 gallons per minute without losing pressure. The trick is in the design.
Some newer showerheads use air injection to maintain a strong spray while reducing actual water use. Others shape the stream differently, focusing flow through fewer jets to maintain that satisfying rinse feeling. You won’t feel like you’re under a trickle. You just get clean with less water running down the drain.
If you want to go further, thermostatic mixing valves and pause buttons give you even more control. You can pause the flow while you lather without losing your temperature setting, or you can preset your preferred heat level so you’re not running the water for minutes before stepping in. These features make small but steady changes to your water use, especially if your household takes multiple showers a day.
Faucets That Won’t Waste
Kitchen and bathroom faucets can quietly use more water than you realize, especially if you tend to leave them running. Standard faucets run at about 2.2 gallons per minute, while high-efficiency ones cut that to 1.5 or even 1.0.
The feel of the flow is different, but most people adjust quickly. Some models use aerators that maintain the spread and force of the stream while using less water behind it. Others include motion sensors, so the faucet shuts off when your hands leave the basin. These are common in commercial bathrooms, but they work well in homes, too, especially in powder rooms where guests tend to leave the water on longer.
In the kitchen, pull-down sprayers and dual-spray modes let you rinse produce or dishes with more control. If you only use a trickle for light rinsing, you save water without even trying. And if you’ve got an older faucet that drips or takes too long to shut off, a swap could save you gallons every day.
Modern Dishwashers and Washing Machines
If your dishwasher is more than 10 years old, chances are it uses twice as much water per load as a newer model. The same goes for older top-loading washing machines. Modern dishwashers can use as little as 3 to 4 gallons per cycle while handling full loads. Older units often use 6 gallons or more and still need a pre-rinse at the sink.
Washing machines have made similar strides. Front-load models use a fraction of the water that top-loaders require. They also spin more efficiently, which means less time in the dryer. Even newer top-load machines have improved water sensors and smarter cycles that adjust to load size.
It’s not just about gallons per use. If a newer machine lets you skip hand-rinsing, shorten cycles, or do fewer loads, it supports lower water use without affecting how often you clean. And when your water heater doesn’t need to keep up with as much demand, your energy savings go up too.
Leak-Detection Add-Ons That Catch Waste Before You Notice It
You don’t have to wait for a water bill spike to find out something’s leaking. Smart leak detectors can monitor water flow throughout your plumbing system. Some install near your main valve and track usage by time of day, pressure, and gallons per minute. If they detect irregular flow, like a slow toilet leak or a burst pipe, they send an alert to your phone and can even shut off water automatically.
These aren’t just for high-tech homes. Battery-powered sensors placed under sinks, behind toilets, or near your washing machine can alert you to hidden leaks that would otherwise go unnoticed. A slow drip from a supply line might not flood your floor, but it can waste hundreds of gallons per month.
If you want to take control without tearing out walls or watching your meter manually, this kind of upgrade gives you peace of mind and better water tracking without changing how you use your fixtures.
Outdoor Fixtures That Keep Your Lawn and Bill in Check
If you water your lawn with a traditional hose and manual sprinkler, you might use more water than necessary, especially if you forget to turn it off. Smart irrigation controllers use weather data, soil sensors, and time-of-day settings to apply water only when and where it’s needed. Some connect with your phone, while others adjust automatically based on previous rainfall or forecast predictions.
Drip irrigation systems for gardens and beds work even better by delivering water directly to the base of each plant. You lose less to evaporation and avoid watering sidewalks or driveways. Even something as small as a hose timer can save water by shutting off after a set amount of time instead of running all afternoon.
Make Eco-Friendly Plumbing Swaps Today
Water-saving upgrades aren’t just for green homes or new builds. If you’re thinking about updating your plumbing, get expert advice and professional installation from the plumbing services pros at Pure Plumbing & Air.
We also offer water filtration system installations, tankless water heater upgrades, and leak detection services to support a more sustainable plumbing system.
