11 Simple tips for apartment owners and
managers to save water and money
Following these 11 simple tips will help Long Beach deal with the permanent reduction in Southern
California water supplies. The Long Beach Water Department thanks you for all of your efforts!
Conserving water in apartments and condos is very important. Did you know that 35% of the City’s
water supply is consumed in apartments and condos?
1. Leaks: leaks are a real money waster. They provide no benefit to you or your tenants, can
damage your property, and drive up your water and sewer bills. Implement a monthly
preventive-maintenance program: check the irrigation system for leaks, repeatedly ask
tenants to report leaks to you, and track your monthly water bill for spikes in usage that
might indicate a leak.
2. Showerheads: the greatest money-saving action we can take is to install new waterefficient showerheads in our bathrooms. New styles use as little as 1 gallon per minute yet
generate a very pleasing and effective high-pressure spray. And they lower our energy
bills: people spend about 25% more on natural gas just to heat water for the shower than
they pay for the water itself. New showerheads are a low, one-time cost that save you
money year-after-year. A 161-unit building in Long Beach reduced water usage by an
incredible 49% when they installed new showerheads and toilets!
3. Toilets: if your building doesn’t have the newest high-efficiency toilets, consider using our
REBATES to install them now! These very effective toilets use as little as 0.8 gallons per flush.
News Alert: about 7% of the water used indoors is “used” by leaks, and most of these leaks
are from near-continuous leaks from the toilet tank into the toilet bowl. So installing new
very low-flow toilets may also reduce the water being wasted from leaking toilets. For
information on these rebates go to www.lbwater.org/Rebates.
4. Clothes washers: do you have common-area clothes washing machines? Newer models of
clothes washers greatly reduce water use AND the energy needed to heat the water wasted
by older machines. Long Beach multi-family properties can now receive a $500 rebate for
qualifying high-efficiency coin or card operated washing machines. For information on these
rebates go to www.lbwater.org/Rebates.
5. Landscape: use our REBATES to install beautiful drought-friendly landscapes that thrive
naturally in our semi-arid region; reducing the landscape’s need for water by about 75%
when replacing grass! See our award-winning website for current incentive amounts and
program details: www.lblawntogarden.com.
6. Landscape irrigation system: use our REBATES to install high-quality sprinkler nozzles that
can reduce water use by 15% to 25%. These nozzles not only use less water, but they do a
better job of irrigating your landscape – for a real “win-win.” For information on these
rebates go to www.lbwater.org/Rebates.
7. Landscape irrigation frequency: A landscape’s need for water changes as often as the
weather. Use our REBATES to install a high-quality irrigation controller that automatically
waters more or less as the weather changes. For information on these rebates go to
www.lbwater.org/Rebates.
8. Landscaping crews: one of the biggest problems with over-use of water is this: the
landscape maintenance crews feel they are judged by how lush they keep the landscape
and how clean they keep the sidewalk, not by how much money they save the property
owner when they save water. Consequently landscape crews tend to over water the
landscape and waste too much water hosing down concrete. Our TIP to you: communicate
with your landscape crews that using only enough water needed to keep the landscape
healthy is a priority; work with them to install and understand the water-efficient equipment
such as the nozzles and irrigation controllers we offer rebates on.
9. Hosing down walkways and other outdoor areas: It is a violation of the City's water-use
restrictions to hose down walkways and other outdoor areas because it wastes tremendous
amounts of water and causes many kinds of pollutants to flow into our storm drains.
However, certain pressure washers are allowed because they use very little water and they
clean these outside areas very well. Click here for information on qualifying pressure
washers.
10. Involve your employees by teaching them water awareness. Post signs throughout your
buildings. Once employees start thinking about their water use, water consumption usually
decreases.
11. Set a conservation goal. It is important to have realistic goals, but goals high enough to
require substantial effort. Allow these goals to serve as performance measures. They will
illustrate the effectiveness of your water conservation program.
The Long Beach Water Department is here to help. If you would like more information
please give us a call.
Dean Wang
Water Conservation Specialist
dean.wang@lbwater.org
(562) 570-2311
1800 E. Wardlow Road
Long Beach, CA 90807