 resources resources consortium brochures general information indoor conservation tips  pdf  outdoor conservation tips  pdf  waterwise gardening landscaping information 7 basic steps for creating water efficient landscapes  pdf  planting and maintaining your lawn  pdf  low wateruse plants of the portland metro area  pdf water efficient plants for the willamette valley plant guide intro  section 1   section 2  pdf  broadleaf trees  pdf  evergreen and conifer trees  pdf shrubs section 1   2   3   4  pdf perennials section 1   2  pdf  ground covers  pdf  ornamental grasses  pdf  area demonstration gardens  pdf  list of plant names  pdf  hiring a landscape professional how to select a landscape contracting professional  pdf  how to select an irrigation contractor  pdf  rain barrels rain barrels water conservation what you should know if you live in the portland metro area  pdf  websites we recommend the following web sites for information and links to numerous other resources american water works association waterwiser the water efficiency clearinghouse epa office of water epa watersense department of the interior bureau of reclamation water conservation publications waterwiser osu water connection water resources of oregon clean rivers and streams clean water services ecological business landscape services program oregon landscape contractors association landscape contractors board of oregon irrigation association toiletology 101 books recommended reading  pdf  related articles new grass blend conserves water  pdf by tom krupicka compost and water conservation  pdf by christine hollenbeck irrigation tips  pdf by steve carper designing a waterefficient landscape  pdf by dr steven c carlin phd your green green grass at home  pdf by mallory gwynn mulches for landscape beds  pdf by james altland get to know your yard and choose the right plants  pdf by christine hollenbeck native trees and shrubs reduce summer water use  pdf by ryan durocher northwest native plant ornamental gardening without summer watering  pdf by wallace w hansen outdoor water conservation products because outdoor water use accounts for the most household water consumption choosing waterefficient outdoor products can make a big impact on both your water use and your water bill here are some watersaving outdoor products you can find at almost any home or garden center  rain gauges  these addons to your irrigation system automatically shut off the system when it rains manual hose bib timers  these timers connect to a hose and automatically shut off your sprinklers after a predetermined length of time soil moisture sensors  these sensors are placed in the soil at strategic locations and they prevent your irrigation system from starting when the soil is sufficiently moist soil polymers  when placed in the soil these materials absorb water allowing roots to draw moisture as needed polymers are most effective for potted plants or sandy soil indoor conservation products as the need for water conservation has become more important to consumers the marketplace has responded with plenty of options for the watersmart buyer if your home is older than 1992 chances are you have highwateruse fixtures replace these older fixtures to save energy money and water up to 30 on indoor water use alone low flow and high efficiency toilets whether remodeling a bathroom starting construction of a new home or simply replacing an old leaky toilet that is wasting money and water you may want to consider installing a low flow or high efficiency toilet het older toilets can use anywhere from 357 gallons per flush ultralowflow toilets ulfts use only 16 gallons per flush delivering a water savings of more than 50 while functioning the same or better than nonulf toilets new het go beyond the federal standard of 16 gallons per flush gpf by using 128 gpf and are certified through the us environmental protection agency watersense program which uses a third party to test the toilets for both performance and efficiency unlike first generation lquo low flow rquo toilets design advances enable watersense labeled hets to save water with no tradeoff in flushing power in fact many perform better than standard toilets in consumer testing if every home in the united states replaced one old toilet with a new het we would save more than 900 billion gallons of water per year equal to more than two weeks of flow over niagara falls  lowflow showerheads showers account for up to half of a home s hot water use with lowflow showerheads you can continue to enjoy an invigorating shower and still save water and energy that means lower water and energy bills lowflow showerheads increase water velocity while dispersing it into many tiny droplets so you still get a brisk shower with less water faucet aerators older faucets typically use 57 gallons per minute newer faucets required by law in new construction use about 25 gallons per minute any of these kitchen or bathroom faucets can be replaced with inexpensive lowflow faucet aerators that mix air with the water to make an effective spray pattern while still saving significantly on water use highefficiency washing machines a typical household does nearly 400 loads of laundry a year with a new highefficiency washing machine all those loads require up to 60 less water and 40 to 50 less energy these new washing machines are frontloading and fill only partially rotating the clothes through the water these models use less than half the amount of water as conventional washers and save energy by heating less water and spinning your clothes more efficiently so they have less moisture going into the dryer make sure to check out the state of oregon residential energy tax credit program qualified new washing machines result in tax credits of 120 to 210 depending on the model for more information about a list of models that qualify for tax credits visit the state office of energy website  some water providers also offer rebates   resources resources conservation   indoor  