Water Conservation - Normal

Water is a precious resource, and conserving it helps ensure a sustainable supply for our community today and into the future. While conservation efforts are always valued, the City recently adopted a Water Conservation Strategy that outlines specific actions depending on water supply and demand levels—meaning there may be times when conservation becomes especially critical. By working together and following these guidelines, we can all help protect Ridgefield’s water resources. 

Current Conservation Status - Normal

Meter displaying the current Conservation Status as "Normal."

We are not currently under the Water Conservation Strategy. Your conservation efforts are always valued.

Thank you for your conservation efforts during the 2025 season. Community water use was significantly reduced compared to previous years. 

Conservation is a shared goal for our community, and the Water Conservation Strategy is the city's proactive approach to create a culture of awareness around our impact on the environment through water consumption. Stage 1 is initiated annually on May 1

Adopt a Conservation Mindset Year Round

The average family uses 200 gallons of water a day. Peak summer use can exceed 500 gallons a day due to irrigation. Some water may be going down the pipe needlessly.

  • Standard toilets use approximately 7 gallons per flush.
  • The average U.S. shower uses 2.5 gallons per minute and lasts for 8 minutes. 
  • A slow leaking toilet can waste about 200 gallons a day, a toilet running all day can waste thousands. 
  • A household automatic landscape irrigation system that isn't properly maintained and operated can waste up to 25,000 gallons of water per year.

Small adjustments to your daily habits and household devices can make a significant difference for your utility bill, Ridgefield's water system, and our local environment. 

Water Conservation Tips

  • Check for leaks in toilets, faucets, hose bibs, pools, hot tubs and water features.  Fix any problems immediately. 
  • Run only full loads on your dishwasher and washing machine.
  • Don’t leave the faucet running when not actively using water. 
  • Take shorter showers or use less water in your bath. A full bathtub requires about 36 gallons of water. 
  • Consider installing water-efficient devices indoors and out, such as toilets, faucets, showerheads, washing machine, dishwasher, drip irrigation system, and automatic irrigation controls. 
  • Use native or Pacific- Northwest friendly plants and trees suited to our seasonal weather. 
  • Apply mulch around plants and trees to retain moisture and inhibit weed growth. 
  • Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways, sidewalks and porches. 
  • Wash your vehicle at a car wash. Car washes recycle water to minimize waste. 

Lawn Irrigation

Lawn irrigation is the most significant source of seasonal water demand increase. Adopting conservation measures for irrigation will help preserve a precious resource and save you money. 

If you have an automated irrigation system, make sure that your preferences are set to the appropriate days and times. If you water manually, try setting a reminder to maintain a consistent schedule. We recommend following our Odd/Even watering schedule all of the time, so you don't have to adjust if/when we enter Stage 3 when it is required.

  • Odd/Even watering schedule: 
    • Properties with ODD addresses (ex: 487 S 56th Pl) and HOA Group A water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.*
    • Properties with EVEN addresses (ex: 230 Pioneer St) and HOA Group B water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.*
    • HOA Group A/B List (PDF)
  • Limit sprinkler aim to the lawn or garden. 
  • If watering by hand, turn the hose spigot on halfway.
  • Routinely check your irrigation system and hose bibs for leaks. 
  • Established grass only needs an inch of water each week.

Documents

  1. Water Conservation Strategy (PDF)
  2. Water Conservation Strategy HOA Groups (PDF)

Water Conservation Strategy Stages