How Your Community Can Help Conserve Water
There are many ways to help conserve our freshwater supply, and the first step is awareness. Many communities around the nation are helping to educate the public about more efficient water practices. Check into your local city or state water provider for more information on how to help in your own community. Water-saving tips from around the nation: Outdoors Use tools like rain catchers or rain barrels to collect and store your rainwater for lawn and garden use. Not only are you saving on tap water usage, you're helping to filter out deposits like calcium and lime, and chemicals like chlorine from your plants, lawn, and underground water. Collected rainwater is also excellent and less harsh for washing your car! Adjust your sprinklers so they're watering your plants and vegetation, rather than sidewalks, driveways, or the street. Put a layer of mulch around trees and vegetation in your yard to slow down evaporation. Water during the cool times of the day for the best retention. |  |
Indoors
Fix leaky faucets and joints.
Install water-saving shower heads and use water-saving fixtures on your taps and toilets.
Shut the water off when you're brushing your teeth or shaving.
Wash dishes by hand whenever possible, but don't leave the tap running to rinse. Either fill a second sink with rinse water, or use a sprayer in quick bursts to rinse your dishes.
Keep water in the fridge to save on running water to get it cool enough to drink. Capture water when possible - collect water while waiting for your shower to warm up or your drinking tap to cool down. Use collected water in potted plants or put in the fridge for drinking later.
Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher.
Shorten your showers. Even a 1- or 2-minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month!
