Take shorter showers. Cutting your shower time down from 10 minutes to 5 will save about 35 gallons of water. Taking showers in bursts makes this easier – turn off the shower while you shave or wash with soap, then turn the water back on to rinse.
Save baths for special occasions. We all enjoy a relaxing bath every now and then, but taking a bath less frequently will save huge amounts of water. When you do take baths, plug the drain right away. You can adjust the water temperature while the bath fills up.
Turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth. Leaving the sink running uses roughly 3 gallons of water per minute.
Don’t leave the water running when you wash dishes. Instead, fill a rectangular tub or one basin of your sink with soapy water. You can use this water when you scrub the dishes, then rinse them with water from the faucet (or save even more water by filling an additional basin with clean water for rinsing). This same method can be used when washing your car.
Invest in water saving fixtures. There are a variety of attachments for sink faucets and shower heads that will cut your water usage in half, if not more. Some of these cost less than ten dollars! Investing in water saving toilets will cost you more, but they’ll save you money in the long run through your water bill.
Check faucets, pipes, toilets, and hoses for leaks. Take a look at your water meter while water is being used and again after a 2 hour period of no water use. The meter should read exactly the same if there is no leak.
Thoroughly water your lawn, and only when necessary. Smaller amounts of water from sprinklers will evaporate quickly and be ineffective. Soak your lawn by watering for longer bursts of time, and make sure that you’re watering the grass and not your sidewalk or gutter. Set your sprinklers to go off in the early morning, and check that it really needs to be watered first.
Opt for native and/or drought-resistant gardens instead of lawns. Grass that is typical to the American lawn actually does not grown naturally anywhere in the Americas. That’s why it’s so hard to maintain! Plants that are native to California need much less water and are often easier to take care of. They can also be quite aesthetically pleasing and will give your garden a unique personality.
Use dishwashers and laundry machines only for full loads. Washing small loads of laundry or dishes wastes water because you will need to use these appliances more often.
Cover your pool and spa when you’re not using them. This will prevent the water from evaporating, and you won’t have to fill it up as often.