25 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
  • Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator - running tap water to cool it off for drinking is wasteful
  • Check faucets and pipes for leaks
Save Water Outside
  • Water your lawn only when it needs it
  • 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 since it helps prevent the growth of fungus
  • Don't water the gutter - position sprinklers so water doesn't land on paved areas
  • 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
  • Don't run the hose while you wash your car
  • Tell your children not to play with the hose and sprinklers
  • Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, faucets, and couplings