- Make sure you know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save gallons of water and damage to your home if a pipe were to burst.
Check for leaks and repair them. Listen for dripping faucets and toilets that flush themselves. In a typical home, leaks account for 15 percent of all water use.
- When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water. You could save 1,000 gallons a month.
- Designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of times you run your dishwasher.
- Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead, and save gallons every time.
- Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.
- Make sure there are aerators on all of your faucets. Install an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up. This will also reduce heating costs for your household.
- Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain.
- Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.
- Don't use running water to thaw food. Collect the water you use for rinsing produce, and reuse it to water houseplants.
- When you clean your fish tank, use the water you've drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.
- If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
- For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
- If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.
- Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes. You'll save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
- Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
- Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair, and you can save more than 50 gallons a week.
- Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
- Install low-volume toilets. If your toilet was installed prior to 1980, place a toilet dam or bottle filled with water in your toilet tank to cut down on the amount of water used for each flush. Be sure these devices do not interfere with operating parts.
- Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. It's easy to fix, and you can save more than 600 gallons a month.
- Drop that tissue in the trash instead of flushing it, and save gallons every time.
- Turn off the water while you brush your teeth, and save 4 gallons a minute. That's 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
- Turn off the water while you shave, and you can save more than 100 gallons a week.
- To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.
- When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.
- When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.
- Choose new water-saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons per load.
- While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.
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