Quick Tips & Easy Ways to Conserve Water & Reduce Usage

Are you doing your part to conserve water and reduce your usage? The drought has become a constant topic of conversation, news and worry over the last couple of years. This year, the drought has become even more exceptionally serious and it’s no secret the impact it’s had in California is more than concerning to many.

Winter and spring proved to be fairly dry in most areas of the state.  Our reservoirs, lakes, streams, and even the groundwater are being depleted with little replacement.  The reality of running out of water in some areas is very real. No one wants to be without water.   As a community we all can do our part.

Quick tips Reduce your Usage and Save Water

There are many ways we can reduce our usage and repurpose some of our “wasted” water to stop it from going down the drain. Here are some quick tips everyone can use to reduce their water usage during the drought:

• Look for leaky or drippy faucets and plumbing.  Make repairs to stop the drips.
• If you don’t have low-volume toilets, install a replacement device to reduce water usage.
• Make sure sprinklers and watering systems are positioned correctly so they are only watering plants and lawn.  Don’t water paved areas.
• Install a drip system if possible.
• Never water on consecutive days, reduce to 2-3 days a week. Water early in the morning or late in the evening.
• If you have a pool, be sure to use some type of pool cover.
• Avoid water recreation (sprinklers, slip and slides, etc) that requires a constant stream of water for use.
• Reduce your shower time by 1-2 minutes.
• Catch water in a bucket while showering or doing dishes and repurpose that water for plants or gardens.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
• When doing laundry, make sure to always wash a full load.

There are many other ways to conserve water and reduce your overall usage.  This list is just a few quick ideas to get you started on your water saving journey during this drought.  Simple changes save more water than you think.  A leaky faucet is about a drip of water per second, this equates to 2,700 gallons a year.  Shortening your shower by 1-2 minutes saves about 5 gallons of water which equates to about 35 gallons of water a week.  If everyone makes small changes in usage, big reductions will be made.  

Everyone needs water to survive.  Working together to conserve and reduce is our only option.