Ten Water Conservation Tips

Water is a precious resource and I'm always looking for ways to conserve where I can. Here are some ideas to make the most of our water supply.

1. You may have glasses half full of water around the house (especially in the summer heat). Rather than dumping the water down the drain you can use it to water your houseplants, top off the dog's water dish, or give your outdoor potted plants a refresher.


2. Take shorter showers. This is easily accomplished by not washing your hair everyday (which is not good for your locks anyway). Just shaving 1-2 minutes off your shower time can save up to 700 gallons a month.


3. Water your lawn in the early morning so the water has time to soak into the ground before the sun evaporates it.


4. Use low-flush toilets or simply put a soda bottle full of water in your tank to reduce the amount of water used to refill with each flush.


5. Run a full load of dishes in the dishwasher rather than washing by hand. Newer dishwashers do not require pre-rinsing so cut that step out if you are able to do so.


6. Do laundry only when you have a full load and use cold water, which is just as effective as warm and takes less energy.


7. Bust out the broom instead of hosing down your sidewalks or driveway. We call all use some exercise anyway!


8. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving. This will save 4 gallons of water a minute!


9. Instead of using the garbage disposal for scraps (and using water to run it) start a compost pile!


10. Watch out for broken sprinklers, open hydrants, broken pipes and any other significant water losses in your community. Be sure to notify the property owner or the water district of the problem.