- Install a toilet dam or bottle filled with water in your toilet tank. This cuts down on the amount of water used for each flush. Be sure these devices do not interfere with operating parts.
- Install covers on pools and spas. Avoids water evaporation.
- Insulate hot water pipes. You won't have to run as much water to get hot water to the faucet.
- Don't use running water to thaw food.
- Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator. Less use running tap water.
- Water plants only when necessary. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering.
- Plug the bathtub before turning the water on. Adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
- Test for leaks. Put food coloring in your toilet tank if it seeps into the bowl, you have a leak. It is easy to fix, and can save more than 600 gallons a month.
- Look for Washing Machines or Dishwashers with a variety of settings. They will save water, energy, and money.
- Install low-flow showerheads. They are cheap, easy to install, and can save hundreds of gallons a week.
- Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when full. You could save 1,000 gallons of water a month.
- Soak pots and pans. Don't let them sit under running water while you scrape them clean.
- Shave your eight-minute shower to five minutes
- Turn off water while you brush your teeth. You'll save 4 gallons a minute - that's 10,000 gallons a year for a family of four.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and sidewalk. You could save up to 80 gallons of water every time.
- Use a commercial car wash that recycles its water.
- Avoiding bottled water and instead using a reusable water bottle. It takes millions of gallons of water to produce the plastic for single-use water bottles, and millions more to purify the water that goes into them.
- Wash your car less often.
- Watering your lawn only in the morning or evening. Water evaporates four to eight times faster during the heat of the day.
- If you really want to reduce the water needed to maintain your yard, consider xeriscaping— a landscaping technique that uses native, drought-tolerant plants in favor of ever-thirsty grass.
- Install a rain barrel to capture rain from your downspout.
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