Ways to Conserve Water  

There are many easy and low-cost ways to conserve water

In the Home

In the Kitchen

• Boil carrots and other vegetables together with the pasta
• Add food waste to a compost pile instead of using a garbage disposal (garbage disposals use a lot of water)
• Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool
• Save unsalted water for watering plants
• Wash vegetables and fruit in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap
• Eat less beef (because it is by far the most water-intensive major food)
• Eat less meat (because animal agriculture is extremely water-intensive)
• Thaw foods in the refrigerator overnight instead of using water
• Scrape rather than rinse dishes before loading them into the dishwasher
• First soak pans and pots with water instead of scraping and cleaning the food off while thewater is running
• Drink water instead of juice (because it requires a large amount of water to make fruit and other juices)
• Steam vegetables instead of boiling
• Cook food in as little water as possible

In the Bathroom

• Take showers instead of baths
• Take take shorter showers
• Ugrade older toilets with water efficient models (toilets are by far the largest source of water use in the home)
• Install a water-efficient showerhead repair leaks
• Put a timer in the shower (to try to keep the showering time under five minutes)
• Flush toilets less often whenever possible
• Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket or ashtray
• Don't let the water run while brushing teeth or shaving
• When using using a bathtub, close the drain before turning on the water
• When using using a bathtub, fill the tub only half full
• When using using a bathtub, bathe small children together
• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors
• Use a displacement device, such as a water-filled bottle or a brick, in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used when flushing
• Install a dual-flush toilet that allows a half-flush for liquid waste
• Check toilet for leaks by putting food coloring in the tank (if, without flushing, the color appears in the bowl within 30 minutes, there a leak; most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install)
• Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs and use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
• Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers
• Use tap aerators (which mix air with water, cutting water flow by half without reducing water pressure) or a water flow-reducer attachment on faucets
• Use a 'navy shower' ()

In the Laundry

• Reduce the number of laundry days and only wash full loads in washing machines
• Pre-treat stains to eliminate needing to wash a second time
• Wash clothes less often (much clothing can probably be worn several times before washing and clothes will last longer)
• Use a high-efficiency washing machine (which uses only a fraction of the water that a conventional washing machine uses)
• Wash dark clothes in cold water (also saves energy and helps your clothes retain their color)

Outdoors

• Reduce or eliminate lawns
• Collect rainwater from gutters using a rain barrel or other rain catchment system
• Wash cars less frequently
• Water the lawn in the early morning or in the evening
• Avoid watering on windy days to minimize evaporation
• Spread a layer of organic mulch around plants to help retain moisture (such as compost, wood chips and straw; it also reduces weeds)
• Reduce lawn watering
• Plant drought-resistant grass
• Upgrade landscaping with drought-tolerant plants (which are often native plants)
• Raise lawn mower cutting height (because taller grass shades grass roots, holds moisture and inhibits weed growth)
• Leave lawn mower clippings on the grass (because they cool the ground and hold in moisture)
• Use a commercial car wash that recycles its water
• Clean pavements by sweeping with a broom rather than pressure washing with water
• Use porous materials for driveways and other pavements
• Install a rain sensor on the irrigation controller so the system will not run when it is raining
• Construct a pond in the yard and use rainwater that accumulates there to water plants
• Wash bicycles with a rag and bucket instead of a hose
• Water lawns longer but less frequently (deep soaking - to allow water to reach the roots and minimize evaporation)
• Wash pets outdoors in areas where the grass or other plants need water
• Avoid water toys that require a constant flow of water
• Minimize fertilizing of lawns (because fertilizers increase the need for water)
• Remove weeds promptly (weeds compete with other plants for water and nutrients)
• Only water plants when necessary (many plants die from excess watering)
• Aerate lawns by punching holes about 15 centimeters apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface

Other Home

• Insulate water pipes to get hot water faster and thus avoid wasting water while it heats up
• Monitor your water meter and bill for unusually high use that might indicate leaks (even the smallest leaks can waste huge amounts of water over time and multiplied by many households)
• Shop for secondhand clothes when possible (because it consumes a huge amount of water to produce cotton)
• Teach your children about the importance of conserving water (and other scarce resources)
• When staying at a hotel request that your towels not be changed every day

In the Community

• Reduce golf course size and numbers
• Implement surcharges for excess water use by households and businesses
• Develop more energy-efficient desalination technologies
• Reduce or eliminate fracking, which can contaminate groundwater
• Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and industrial purposes
• Teach about water conservation in the schools

In Business and Industry

• Implement a water management plan, then educate employees on good water habits through email and posters
• Install waterless urinals and high-efficiency toilets
• Implement a periodic, facility-wide check for leaks
• Publish your monthly water use on employee web site or email to show progress toward water-saving goals.
• Use timers for decorative fountains so that they operate only during work or daylight hours
• Ask water company if rebates are available for purchasing water-efficient fixtures or equipment or for facility audits
• Develop less water-intensive processes for industries
• Recycle waste water
• Shut off water to unused areas to eliminate leaks and unmonitored use

In Agriculture

• Use more efficient crop watering techniques
• Water crops in the evening or early morning to minimize evaporation
• Construct water retention ponds