Water Use & Conservation

leaking sink faucet
It’s easy to fix household leaks, and it can save you about 10% on water bills.

Conserving Water

Little things make a big difference when it comes to saving water, like turning off the faucet when brushing your teeth, washing full loads of dishes or laundry and fixing leaky faucets and toilets.

Outdoor water usage counts too. Such as cleaning off deck furniture with a brush rather than hosing off, watering gardens from a rain barrel and allowing lawns to go dormant during dry spells.

For more ideas, visit the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Sense website.

Protecting Water

downspout in driveway
Direct downspouts away from hardscapes to promote water infiltration.

Minimizing stormwater run-off alleviates localized flooding, allows for the recharging of area aquifers and prevents the transport of contaminants such as oil, lawn chemicals, and pet waste into nearby creeks and ultimately the Sangamon River and beyond.

On-site infiltration of stormwater is promoted by directing downspouts to low areas with vegetation such as rain gardens and away from hardscaped areas, such as driveways.

The Macon County Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4), a partnership between Macon County, Decatur, Forsyth and Mt. Zion, has educational resources and further information about stormwater management.