Water Conservation

Water conservation is the practice of using water efficiently to reduce unnecessary water usage. According to Fresh Water Watch, water conservation is important because fresh clean water is a limited resource, as well as a costly one.

Looking for quick ways to save water (and money)?
Check out our Water Conservation Tips handout(PDF, 118KB) for simple changes that make a big difference.

Water Conservation Tips:

Next to air, water is the most important element for the preservation of life. Water is a finite commodity which, if not managed properly, will result in shortages in the near future. Water conservation can go a long way to help alleviate these impending shortages.

• Check your faucet and toilet for leaks - Even a small drip can waste 50 or more gallons of water a day. Put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the coloring begins to appear in the bowl., you have a leak that may be wasting more than 100 gallons of water a day.
• Put a plastic bottle in your toilet tank - Put an inch or two of sand or pebbles in the bottom of a one liter bottle to weigh it down. Fill the rest of the bottle with water and put it in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanism. In an average home, the bottle may save five gallons or more of water every day without harming the efficiency of the toilet. If your tank is big enough, you may even be able to put in two bottles.
• Take shorter showers or take baths - A typical shower uses five to ten gallons of water a minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rise off.
• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors - Your hardware or plumbing supply store stocks inexpensive shower heads or flow restrictors that will cut your shower flow to about three gallons a minute instead of five to ten. They are easy to install, and your showers will still be cleansing and refreshing.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing dishes - Before brushing, wet your brush and fill a glass for rinsing your mouth. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of warm water in which to rinse your razor. If you have two sinks, fill one with rinse water. If you have only one sink, first gather all your washed dishes in a dish rack, then rinse them quickly with a spray device or a pan of water.
• Only run full loads of laundry or dishes - Running your dishwasher and washing machines less saves both water and money.
• Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables - Rinse your vegetables instead in a bowl or sink full of clean water.
• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator - This puts a stop to the wasteful practice of running tap water to cool it for drinking.
• Water your lawn only when it needs it - Watering on a regular schedule doesn't allow for cool spells or rainfall which reduce the need for watering. Step on some grass. If it springs back up when you move your foot, it doesn't need water.
• Deep-soak your lawn - When you do water your lawn, water it long enough for water to seep down to the roots where it is needed. A light sprinkling that sits on the surface will simply evaporate and be wasted.
• Water during the cool parts of the day - Early morning is better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus.
• Don't water the gutter - Position your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden, not in areas where it does no good. Also, avoid watering on windy days when much of your water may be carried off to the streets and sidewalks.
• Plant drought-resistant trees and plants - Many beautiful trees and plants thrive without irrigation.
• Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants - Mulch slows the evaporation of moisture.
• Use a broom to clean driveways, sidewalks and steps - Using a hose wastes hundreds and hundreds of gallons of water.
• Don't run the hose while washing your car - Soap down your car from a pail of soapy water. Use a hose only to rinse it off.
• Check for leaks in pipes, hoses faucets and couplings - Leaks outside the house are easier to ignore since they since they don't mess up the floor or keep you awake at night. However, they can be even more wasteful than inside water leaks especially when they occur on your main water line.
• Water as infrequently as possible without causing undue stress to your lawn - Lawns only need to be watered when there are signs of needing water; usually every 5 to 7 days in the summer. Water your lawn slowly, during cool windless periods. Morning hours are most effective.