Small steps taken at home can produce large results in conserving this natural resource. You can conserve and save water at home in a variety of ways. A dripping faucet can waste up to 20 gallons of water per day -- so fix that drip. Look for ways to conserve water inside and outside your home.
| Inside your home |
| In the kitchen: |
- Run the dishwasher only when full
- When washing dishes by hand, fill one container (or sink) with wash water and another with rinse water
- Install an instant hot water heater on sink faucet
- Defrost food in refrigerator or on counter, don't run under water
- Clean veggies in container filled with water rather than running water from the faucet
- Keep container of water in refrigerator for drinking, instead of running the water while waiting for it to get cold
- Compost instead of using a garbage disposal. Sink disposals use a lot of water to work properly
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| In the bathroom: |
- Turn of the water when brushing teeth, shaving, washing face, etc.
- Replace old shower heads with newer water-saving low flow models
- Time your shower! See how fast you can be!
- While you wait for warm water catch the cold water in a bucket, so you can use it later for watering plants or cooking.
- Turn the water off when lathering up
- Don't use toilet for discarding tissues, trash or insects. It isn't a wastebasket!
- Replace old toilets with newer low flush models
- Fix leaky toilets. (To check if toilet is leaking put food coloring in the tank. Do not flush, and then check to see if any coloring gets in the bowl. If it does, you have a leak.)
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| In the laundry: |
- Use clothes washer only when you have enough to run a large load
- Use water-saving setting on clothes washer machine if available
- Replace washer with low-water use fixtures
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| Outside your home |
| For the lawn: |
- During the driest period of the summer, lawns usually will require about one inch of water every week to stay green and growing. Overwatering and/or frequent watering will stimulate excessive topgrowth and the need for more frequent mowing. Lawns watered too frequently also tend to develop shallow roots, which may make them more susceptible to pests and heat-drought stress. Water infrequently (weekly) and deeply (six to eight inches) with one inch of water each time.
- Make sure sprinklers aren't watering pavement
- Water either during morning or evening when it's cooler outside; otherwise water will evaporate instead of soaking into the ground
- Don't water if it is windy or if it has rained recently
- Don't mow grass shorter the 3-3½ inches. This helps reduce evaporation and promotes longer & stronger root growth
- Connect a shut off nozzle to your hose so water flows only when needed. When finished using the hose, turn it off at the faucet to prevent leaks.
- Don't hose down your driveway or sidewalk; use a broom to clean leaves and other debris.
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| For the garden: |
- Using mulch reduces evaporation and helps the soil around plants to retain moisture
- Practice xeriscaping, the planting of drought resistant native species
- Make a rain garden
- Use rain barrels. It is an inexpensive way to collect rain water for watering gardens, lawns & house plants
- Use a rain gauge to better determine if watering is required
- Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation systems instead of sprinklers
- Add compost or peat moss to soil to increase water retention
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| For the pool: |
- Cover pools and spas when not in use to reduce evaporation. Covering also reduces cleaning frequency and minimizess chemical use.
- Install water saving filters
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| For the car: |
- Take the car to a commercial car washing station that recycles wash water; if the station doesn't recycle the water, be sure the waste water is treated before it is discharged in to a sewer drain
- If you must wash your car, do it on a lawn or other permeable surface to prevent water from flowing into storm drains or nearby lakes & streams. Turn off the hose while soaping up the car! Use a bucket with biodegradable non-toxic soap
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