As a homeowner in San Francisco, you should be aware of the City’s Residential Water Conservation Ordinance which mandates that you have the following water-saving devices in your home:

• Low-flow mechanisms on all accessible showerheads having a maximum flow of 2.5 gallons per minute. (Certain older showerheads that cannot easily be removed from the wall without structural alteration are exempt from this requirement.)
  
  
• Flow-restricting aerators on all sink faucets that can be fitted with these devices.
  
  
• Low-flow toilets, with a maximum of 3.5 gallons per flush, or one of the following mechanisms:
  
  
  • A quick-closing flap;
  • A dual-option flushing mechanism;
  • A water-saving kit for flushometer toilets; or
  • A flush valve device to lower the volume of water needed to flush the toilet.

Note: If you are moving, replacing or adding a toilet, by federal law the model must use only 1.6 gallons of water or less per flush. These ultra-low flush toilets (ULFTs) are now the norm so any new model you buy should meet or exceed this standard.

Low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and toilet devices are inexpensive and available at most hardware stores. Be sure to also contact the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) at (415) 551-4730 before making any modifications. The agency offers different rebates and incentives for the purchase of energy-saving appliances and even gives away free low-flow showerheads and aerators! See our Water Conservation  article for details.