Saving water saves energy too. Practical ways to cut water and electricity use at home and school, and why the two are linked.
Saving water saves energy, because every liter you use has to be pumped, treated, and often heated before it reaches you. Cut your hot water use and you cut your energy bill twice: once at the water plant and once at your water heater.
Key facts:
Want the household money side? See how to save electricity at home for the fixes ranked by savings.
Most people think water and energy are separate. They are not. Every drop of water that comes out of your tap required energy to get there.
First, energy is used to pump water from the ground or a reservoir. Then more energy is used to treat the water and make it safe to drink. Then more energy is used to pump it to your house. After you use it, energy is needed to treat the wastewater.
The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 3 to 4 percent of all electricity in the United States goes to water and wastewater services. That is about 56 billion kilowatt hours each year.
On the other side, power plants need water. Coal, nuclear, and natural gas plants all use water for cooling. One coal plant can use millions of gallons of water per day. When we use less electricity, those plants use less water.
This connection is called the water energy nexus. Saving water saves energy. Saving energy saves water. They are two sides of the same coin.
Here are the most effective ways to save water at home.
Fix leaks. A faucet that drips once per second wastes over 3,000 gallons per year. That is enough water for 180 showers. Fixing leaks is the easiest way to save water.
Take shorter showers. A 10 minute shower uses about 20 gallons of water. A 5 minute shower uses about 10 gallons. Cutting your shower time in half saves water and the energy to heat it.
Install low flow fixtures. Low flow shower heads use 2.5 gallons per minute or less. Older shower heads use 5 gallons per minute. That is a big difference. Faucet aerators do the same thing for sink taps.
Run full loads. Dishwashers and washing machines use the same amount of water whether they are full or half full. Wait until you have a full load before running them.
Turn off the tap. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving. This can save up to 8 gallons per day per person.
Collect rainwater. A rain barrel collects water from your roof for use in the garden. This saves treated tap water for outdoor use.
Here are ways to save energy. Each one also saves the water used by power plants.
Switch to LED bulbs. LEDs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. They produce less heat and last much longer.
Unplug electronics. Many devices use power even when turned off. Phone chargers, TVs, and computers draw standby power. Unplug them or use a power strip.
Adjust your thermostat. Heating and cooling use the most energy in your home. Lower the thermostat in winter. Raise it in summer. Each degree saves energy.
Use cold water for washing. Heating water uses a lot of energy. Washing clothes in cold water saves that energy. Modern detergents work well in cold water.
Seal drafts. Air leaks around windows and doors waste heating and cooling energy. Caulk and weather stripping are cheap fixes that save money.
Use appliances efficiently. Run the dishwasher and washing machine with cold water. Air dry dishes instead of using the heat dry cycle. Clean the lint filter in the dryer.
Think of water and energy as best friends. They help each other out.
When you save water, you save energy too. Why? Because energy is needed to bring water to your house. It powers the pumps and the treatment plants.
When you save energy, you save water too. Why? Because power plants need water to stay cool. Less electricity means less water used.
So when you turn off the lights, you are saving water too. When you turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, you are saving energy too.
It is like a two for one deal. Every time you save one, you get the other for free.
The water energy nexus has big implications for policy. As populations grow, both water and energy demand increase. In dry regions, this creates a challenge. Saving energy can reduce water demand. Saving water can reduce energy demand.
The agricultural sector uses about 70 percent of global fresh water. Much of that water is pumped using energy. Efficient irrigation techniques save both water and energy. Drip irrigation uses 20 to 50 percent less water than flood irrigation.
The industrial sector also uses large amounts of water. Power plants are the largest industrial water users in many countries. Switching to renewable energy sources like solar and wind reduces water use. Solar panels and wind turbines need almost no water to operate.
Denver Water. This utility found that every acre foot of water saved through leak detection saves 232 kilowatt hours of electricity. Fixing leaks saves water directly. It also saves the energy needed to treat and pump that water.
California drought. During the 2012 to 2016 drought, California cut water use by 25 percent. This also saved significant amounts of energy. The state estimated that water conservation saved enough electricity to power 150,000 homes for a year.
Singapore. This country recycles wastewater into drinking water. The process uses energy. But it uses less energy than importing water from far away. Singapore shows how water and energy planning go together.
Class discussion questions:
Activity: Have students audit their home for water leaks and energy waste. Count dripping faucets, find drafty windows, and check for lights left on. Calculate how much water and energy could be saved by fixing each one.
Vocabulary:
Last updated: July 06, 2026
1. What percent of US electricity is used for water services?
2. How many gallons of water can one dripping faucet waste in a year?
3. Why do power plants use water?
4. What does a low flow shower head do?
5. How does turning off lights help save water?
How are water and energy connected?
It takes energy to pump, treat, and deliver water. When you save water, you save that energy. When you save energy, you save the water used at power plants.
What is the simplest way to save both water and energy?
Fix leaks. A dripping faucet wastes water and the energy used to pump it. One drop per second wastes over 3,000 gallons of water each year.
Does saving water really save energy?
Yes. A lot of energy goes into treating and delivering water. The EPA says 3 to 4 percent of all US electricity is used for water and wastewater services.
How does saving energy save water?
Power plants use water for cooling. Coal, nuclear, and gas plants all need large amounts of water. Using less electricity means those plants use less water.
What are the best ways to save water at home?
Take shorter showers, fix leaks, run dishwashers only when full, and install low flow shower heads and faucet aerators. These save water without changing your daily routine.
