The American Water Works Association recommends the following steps to help conserve water:
- Don't over water your lawn. Only water every three to five days in the summer.
- To prevent water loss from evaporation, don't water your lawn during the hottest part of the day or when it is windy.
- Only run the dishwasher and clothes washer when they are fully loaded.
- Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator or in the microwave instead of running water over it.
- When washing dishes by hand, use two basins - one for washing and one for rinsing rather than let the water run.
- Use a broom, rather than a hose, to clean sidewalks and driveways.
- If you have a swimming pool, get a cover. You'll cut the loss of water by evaporation by 90 percent.
- Repair dripping faucets and leaky toilets. Dripping faucets can waste about 2,000 gallons of water each year. Leaky toilets can waste as much as 200 gallons each day.
More water conservation tips
