35 Ways to Conserve Water at Home
When conserving water at home, it’s important to remember to turn off the faucet while you are washing dishes. Instead of keeping it on, fill up the sink with hot, soapy water.
Keeping the water on while you are brushing your teeth wastes a lot of water. Get your toothbrush wet, and then turn off the water until you are ready to rinse your mouth. This will help you to save water.
Wait to run the washer until you have a full load of laundry to wash. Doing partial loads wastes a lot of water.
Installing a timer for your sprinkler system will help make sure it’s more efficient. Additionally, ensure your sprinklers are positioned in a way that they are only watering your yard.
Landscape using native plants to cut down on the water that you use.
Learn how to maintain a compost pile as opposed to putting waste down the garbage disposal. As a side benefit, compost makes great fertilizer for the garden and will help with conserving water!
Know how much water you use each month by staying on top of your bill.
Make sure your showerhead isn’t wasting water. There are water-efficient models on the market that don’t allow as much water through.
Make sure the faucets and hoses around the house are not leaking.
Replace appliances with energy and water-efficient models. Some home insurance plans also offer a rebate or discount to home owners that do this and thus help conserve water at home.
Make sure your toilet isn’t wasting water by using a water-efficient model.
When doing water changes on fish tanks, collect the water and use it in the garden.
Collect rain water for watering household plants and gardens – it’s easy to do, and it saves a lot of water because you aren’t running the hose.
Defrost frozen food in the microwave or the refrigerator. Avoid running it under water to thaw it out.
Want another idea on how to conserve water? Make sure your sprinklers aren’t set to run while it’s raining.
Ensure that you are only using the amount of water necessary for each load of laundry; don’t run it on a large cycle if you only have a small load.
Make sure each faucet is turned off completely after using it. Allowing faucets to drip wastes water.
Soak dirty dishes and cooking pans in warm, soapy water instead of running them under the faucet to loosen stuck food.
Place mulch around plants that need to be watered frequently to reduce the amount of water that evaporates from the soil. Your plants will be healthier and you won’t use as much water on your garden.
Wait to run the dishwasher until you have a full load. This cuts back on frequency and makes sure you are conserving water.
Don’t wash the car in the driveway. Instead, look for a carwash that will reuse the water for other customers.
Place a cover over your pool, spa or fountain when not in use. Doing so will reduce the amount of water that is lost to evaporation.
Avoid planting during the summer when there aren’t very many rain storms. The more it rains the less you have to water your garden.
Reduce the amount of lawn that you have to water by creating interest with bushes, trees and vines – this is a great way to conserve water at home.
Don’t water your plants in the middle of the day, including your lawn – less water evaporates during the morning and evening.
Avoid washing the sidewalk and driveway with the hose, especially if they only have dead leaves and dirt on them. Instead, sweep off the unwanted debris with a broom.
Rinse off produce using a bowl and a cloth instead of running it under the faucet.
Reduce the amount of time that you spend in the shower – you can even make it a family game. Just shaving off a minute or two conserves water at home.
When taking a bath, don’t let water run down the drain while you are waiting for the temperature to adjust.
If you have a small lawn, water it by hand instead of using the sprinklers. You have more control over the amount of water that you use this way.
Try to use fewer dishes during the day to reduce the amount that need to be washed.
If you have a sprinkler system, make sure it isn’t leaking or broken. Ensuring that the system is in running order saves a lot of water each month.
Make sure your lawn and garden are not competing with weeds for resources. As a general rule, just remember that weeds waste water.
Teach children the importance of water conservation and why we should conserve water; encourage their school to do the same.
Choose a turf mix for your lawn that can handle the climate that you live in. For example, if you live in an arid region, look for grass that is drought tolerant.
More Water Conservation Information
- Conserving Water in a Desert City – Learn how you can do your part to avoid wasting water in an arid climate.
- Facts about Water Conservation (PDF) – Find out how much water you can save by doing simple things around the house.
- Gardening with a Water Conservation Strategy (PDF) – Discover how to plan out your garden and landscape so that it saves water.
- Water Saving Tips – Read about different ways that you can save water both inside the house and outside.
- How to Use Water Efficiently (PDF) – Find out simple changes that you can make while conserving water efficiently around your house.
- Low Water Plants (PDF) – Browse through a list of plants that are suitable for an arid climate.
- Water Conservation Resources – Check out a list of resources that will help you learn more about conserving water.
- Conserving Water at Work (PDF) – Learn what you can do to help save water while you are at work.
- Facts about Water Conservation for Kids – Help teach children why it’s so important to conserve water.