Conservation Tips

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EVERYDAY CONSERVATION & WATER SAVING TIPS

1. When you wash or rinse fruits and vegetables, do it over or in a salad spinner. Let the water collect in the tub part of the spinner and let the food dry off in the rack part of the spinner. The water you collect can be given to your indoor or outdoor plants.
2. Sweeping your driveway and sidewalk rather than using a hose will save you as much as 100 gallons of water every time you do it.
3. If you must pre-rinse dishes before putting them into the dishwasher, fill the sink with water, rather than letting the water run continuously. You can save another 10 to 20 gallons by doing this.
4. If you don't have a dishwasher, wash your dishes in one sink filled with soapy water and rinse them in other sink filled with hot water. Plug the drains before filling each sink.
5. And for those really hard to clean pots and pans, do them tomorrow morning! Let them soak in the sink overnight instead of running water over them.
6. Don't let the water run when you brush your teeth or shave. This will save another 10 to 20 gallons of water each morning.
7. Run only full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine. This could save you an additional 1,000 gallons of water every month.
8. Don't put items down the garbage disposal that could be used for compost. You'll save water in the house and because compost holds moisture, it will keep water from evaporating in your garden, so you won't have to over water during the hot summer months.
9. Don't water your lawn more than twice a week. And when you do, keep the sprinklers on for no more than 10 minutes at a time. Water just two or three times on the days you designate as watering days; once or twice in the morning, and once in the evening. Never water your lawn between 11:00am and 6:00pm in the summer. The water will just evaporate.
10. Don't water your lawn when it's windy. You'll just water the sidewalk.
11. Make sure your sprinklers are watering your lawn, not the sidewalk.
12. Aerate your lawn. This will make any watering you do more efficient.
13. When you wash your car by hand, use a bucket instead of the hose. You can save up to 300 gallons of water by doing this! (Better still, go to a commercial car wash that recycles the water they use).
14. When you do use the hose, make sure it has a nozzle. This will reduce water flow and save you money.
15. Collect the water that comes out of the tap or showerhead as you wait for it to heat up (a bucket in the shower is a very easy way to do this). Or, install an instant hot water device that uses a pump at your water heater to keep the water in your line hot from the moment you turn on the tap.
16. Install a low-flow showerhead. You need one if your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds. This will save you as much as 500 gallons of water every week!
17. Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator. Don't run water over it.
18. If you live in the desert southwest, consider xeroscaping (using native plants that don't need much water) all or a portion of your yard.
19. Don't use the toilet as a trash can. This can waste 30 gallons of water every month.
20. Steam vegetables instead of boiling them. You'll save water and the veggies will taste better and retain more of their nutrients!
21. Wash the dog outside on the lawn, instead of in the tub or shower. Don't worry; an environmentally friendly shampoo won't hurt the grass!
22. When you give the dog fresh water, dump the old water into a houseplant or pot outside.
23. And when you drop an ice cube onto the floor, don't put it in the sink. Drop it into a houseplant.
24. Cover your pool and spa when they are not in use.
25. Take shorter showers. You'll save 20 gallons of water easily and never be late to work again!