Every Drop Counts
Ways to Conserve Water
Collecting rain water for irrigating plants or gardens not only conserves water, but it also decreases the amount of water you'll have to purchase.
Don't over water your lawn. As a general rule, lawns only need watering every 5 to 7 days in the summer and every 10 to 14 days in the winter. A hearty rain eliminates the need for watering for as long as two weeks. Tip: Step on your grass. If it springs back, when you lift your foot, it doesn't need water.
Water lawns and flowers during the early morning when temperatures are down and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
Don't waste cold water while waiting for hot water to reach the shower head or faucet. Capture it in a watering can or bucket to irrigate your plants.
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Check your toilet for leaks. Put dye tablets or food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there's a leak that should be repaired.
Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. It slows down evaporation.
Use your water meter to check for hidden leaks. Read the water meter before and after a 2 hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read the exact same there may be a leak.
Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for full loads only.
Scrape the food on your dishes into the garabage instead of using water to rinse it down the disposal.
Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge. Running tap water to cool it off is wasteful. Store drinking water in the fridge in a safe drinking bottle.
Installing low flow faucet aerators will reduce the flow of water from the faucet without reducing pressure. You can find them at most home improvement stores and installation videos are available online.
Test your water sense at www.epa.gov/watersense
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