Indoor water use and a water budget for the home is typically determined by the number of people in the home and the number and types of fixtures. The EPA provides a simple calculator¹ for homeowners who want to know how much water and dollars they will save if they are replacing or purchasing fixtures with a WaterSense label. In 2006, the EPA sponsored WaterSense as a program that promotes water efficiency, protects the nation's water supply, educates consumers on water-efficient practices and labels and certifies water-efficient products. The WaterSense label is an important tool for designers who want to meet quantifiable water targets. Products bearing the WaterSense label:

• Are 20 percent more water efficient than average products
• Realize water savings on a national level.
• Provide measurable water savings results.
• Achieve water efficiency through several technology options.
• Are effectively differentiated by the WaterSense label.
• Obtain independent, third-party certification.²

When individuals save water, each drop accumulates into community savings as well as has an impact on climate change and the emissions of greenhouse gases. The facts are astounding:

• American public water supply and treatment facilities consume about 56 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year - enough electricity to power more than 5 million homes for an entire year.
• Letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb stay on for 14 hours.
• If one out of every 100 American homes were retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, we could save about 100 million kWh of electricity per year - avoiding 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. That is equivalent to removing nearly 15,000 automobiles from the road for one year.
• If one percent of American homes replaced their older, inefficient toilets with WaterSense-labeled models, the country would save more than 38 million kWh of electricity - enough to supply more than 43,000 households' electricity for one month.³
• New ENERGY STAR-qualified dishwashers use just 3-10 gallons of water per cycle, compared to the average 30 gallons used when washing dishes by hand.
• Replacing a refrigerator purchased in 1990 with a new ENERGY STAR-qualified model would save enough energy to light the average household for more than 4-1/2 months.⁴

There are also many environmental benefits to conserving water and many communities are strengthening their regulations in order to protect their aquifers, and wastewater treatment facilities, by reducing the amount of sewage. In fact, in the last census, "WaterSense estimates there are currently 222 million residential toilets in the United States. This estimate is based on an assumed one-to-one ratio of toilets to bathrooms. In addition to the existing stock, approximately 10 million new toilets are sold each year for installation in new homes or replacement of aging fixtures in existing homes. Residential toilets account for approximately 30 percent of indoor residential water use in the United States - equivalent to more than 2.1 trillion gallons of water consumed each year."⁵

In communities in California, Arizona and the Southwest, the increasing scarcity of water sources from drought and aquifer depletions has led to a rise in new mandates for water efficiency. According to the EPA, Americans extract 3.7 trillion gallons per year more than they return to the natural water system to recharge aquifers and other water sources. In other communities, where water is plentiful, an aging infrastructure and a tight economy have caused budget policy makers to review their water regulations. In the future, some communities may begin to regulate the installation and retrofit of all new and existing homes to require upgrades to high efficiency plumbing fixtures.

According to the American Water Works Association, daily water use in a single-family home can equal as much as 69.3 gallons.⁶ Reduce, reuse and recycle water through a number of strategies to target a water budget for a typical home that would be closer to 40 to 50 gallons.