Things You Can Do To Prevent Water Waste

Save Water in the Bathroom

• Check your toilets for leaks
• Stop using the toilet as an ashtray or waste basket
• Put plastic bottles in your toilet tank - Put an inch of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles, fill them with water, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from operating mechanisms. The bottles may displace and save 10 or more gallons of water a day.
• Take shorter showers
• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restricters
• Take baths - use only a partially-filled tub
• Turn off water after you wet your toothbrush
• Rinse your razor in the sink by filling the sink with a few inches of warm water
• Check faucets and pipes for leaks

Save Water in the Kitchen and Laundry

• Use your automatic dishwasher only for full loads
• Use your automatic washing machine only for full loads
• If you wash dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing
• Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables
• Check faucets and pipes for leaks
• Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste instead of using a garbage disposal. Garbage disposals also can add 50% to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to malfunctions and maintenance problems.

Save Water Outside

• Water your lawn only when it needs it. As a general rule, lawns only need watering every 5 to 7 days in the summer and every 10 to 14 days in the winter. A hearty rain eliminates the need for watering for as long as two weeks. Plant it smart, Xeriscape. Xeriscape landscaping is a great way to design, install and maintain both your plantings and irrigation system that will save you time, money and water. For your free copy of "Plant it Smart," an easy-to-use guide to Xeriscape landscaping, contact your Water Management District.
• Deep soak your lawn - water long enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots
• Water during the cool parts of the day - early morning is generally better than dusk. This reduces losses from evaporation.
• Don't water the gutter - position sprinklers so water doesn't land on paved areas
• Install sprinklers that are the most water-efficient for each use. Micro and drip irrigation and soaker hoses are examples of water-efficient methods of irrigation.
• Raise the lawn mower blade to at least three inches. A lawn cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soil moisture better than a closely-clipped lawn.
• Avoid over fertilizing your lawn. The application of fertilizers increases the need for water. Apply fertilizers which contain slow-release, water-insoluble forms of nitrogen.
• Plant drought-resistant trees and plants that need less watering
• Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants
• Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks
• Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, faucets, and couplings