1. Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours.
2. Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff.
3. Direct rain gutter spouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.
4. Use drip irrigation for shrubs and trees to apply water directly to the roots where it’s needed.
5. Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers to eliminate unnecessary watering.
6. Don’t water your lawn on windy days. After all, sidewalks and driveways don’t need water.
7. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering. Only water plants when necessary.
8. Make sure your sprinklers are not misting in order to prevent water lost due to evaporation and wind drift.
9. Take shorter showers. A 5 minute shower uses a mere 15 gallons as compared to the 40-60 gallons used to take a bath.
10. Install a new showerhead. Newer models are significantly more efficient than older models. New shower heads typically use 2.5 gallons a minute or less.