 winter2008   toilet rebate offered older toilets can use 35 5 or even up to 7 gallons of water with every flush that s a lot of water especially when you consider the number of people in your household and how often the toilet is flushed 5 times per person per day according to national estimates  just how much water am i flushing down my toilet  toilet consumption flushes per day estimated gallons used per person per year  watersense 128 gpf 5 2336 16 gpf 5 2920 35 gpf 5 6388 5 gpf 5 9125 the good news is that toilets have improved in recent years significantly the epa s watersense program  think energystar only water has made choosing a high quality toilet simple with its epa s watersense labeling system to earn this label watersense toilets must use no more than 128 gallons per flush gpf and meet rigorous criteria for performance starting january 2009 ten water providers in the portland metro area will offer a rebate of up to 100 for replacing a toilet that uses 16 gpf or more with a watersense certified toilet the participating water providers include the portland water bureau   rockwood water pud   city of tigard   city of hillsboro   tualatin valley water district   clackamas river water   sunrise water authority   south fork water board   oak lodge water district  and city of gladstone  winter weather brings icy winds and dipping temperatures which can do a lot of damage to your home by freezing pipes and leaving you without flowing water there are many precautions you can take now to help minimize later impacts here are some winterizing tips to help you avoid the expense and inconvenience of frozen pipes during an extended cold spell visit wwwconserveh2oorg for more water conservation tips the kids are crazy about h2o  this fall the students in ms ahlgrim s 6th grade class from john mcloughlin elementary in oregon city spent time learning about water and water conservation i felt the biggest impact in the classes was on how the 6th graders personally can conserve water with the biggest habit changes that we worked on being turning the water off while they brush their teeth shortening their showers and using leftover water to water plants said ms ahlgrim is your class doing something cool with water or water conservation if so  tell us about it when the weather outside is frightful  feb 18 22 portland home garden show did you know that over watering is the most common problem in home and commercial landscapes visit our booth at the portland home garden show for info on watering basics and other info that will make your garden thrive this summer  april 2 water lean grow green interested in learning more about the best management practices of waterwise landscaping landscape professionals commercial property managers irrigation contractors and homeowners are invited to attend the consortium s water lean grow green workshop on april 2 sign up to receive more info  april 22 energy and water efficiency double your savings this free halfday seminar provides businesses with an overview of how they can wisely manage the use of valuable energy and water resources in their dayto day operations learn about energy efficiency and water conservation concepts and strategies and how they could potentially improve your bottom line more info  visit wwwconserveh2oorg for a complete list of free workshops and events topics include a variety of waterwise and natural gardening tips and techniques  take shorter showers by shortening your shower just 5 minutes you could save up to 25 gallons each time you shower  turn the faucet off when brushing your teeth or shaving you could save about 1 gallon a minute wash only full loads of laundry or dishes chill water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap to get cold water put trash in the waste basket not the toilet this can save you 16 5 gallons per flush visit wwwconserveh2oorg for more water conservation tips  the consortium provides planning and management support for the portland metro region s municipal water supplies contact us   copyright 2008 all rights reserved  winter 2008  