In addition to saving money on your utility bill, water conservation helps prevent pollution in nearby lakes, rivers, and watersheds. It also prevents greenhouse gas emissions associated with treating and distributing water. Even though water seems abundant in some regions, water conservation has become essential in all regions, like us here in California with the drought. Our water resources are finite, and they are getting smaller every year. 

So, please use our guide to save more water, both indoors and outdoors!

Ways to conserve water:

• Take shorter showers and don’t take too many baths.
• Eating lower on the food chain, such as leaning to a plant-based diet, can decrease the amount of water to produce meat and dairy products which consume water-intensive food– usually corn and soybeans.
• Since there is no one-size-fits-all diet to reduce your water footprint, you can also reduce your consumption of processed foods, because a lot of water is used to manufacture and transport them.
• If you have a green thumb, try planting native plants that are adapted to our Californian climate and don’t require too much water. Click here are some ideas.
• Reduce > Reuse > Recycle. The three R’s are vital in improving water conservation. Reduce comes first, so it is essential to remember to think about what you need and what you desire. Next, it is important to buy products that have good quality so that you can reuse them. Recycling should be your last resort because recycling actually uses up energy and water during the process.

• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors to conserve water. Many stores stock inexpensive shower heads or flow restrictors that can cut your shower flow to about three gallons a minute instead of five to ten.
• Instead of using the dishwasher every day, use your automatic dishwasher for full loads only, as well as for an automatic washing machine. This is because every time you run your dishwasher, you use about 25 gallons of water, and the washing machine uses 30-35 gallons of water.
• When washing vegetables in the sink, save the water from washing them and use it to water your plants instead of pouring it down the sink.
• Water your lawn during the cool parts of the day; early morning is better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus.

• Plant drought-resistant trees or plants that don’t require as much water; they are vibrant and beautiful and will also save water!
• Put a layer of mulch around your plants and trees, since mulch slows the evaporation of moisture.
• Make sure there are no leaks in any of your dishwashers, washing machines, etc. Even though they may be small, many gallons of water can be lost from leaks.

With these helpful tips to conserve water, hopefully you will be able to utilize some of them and be mindful of your water usage. Remember, even the smallest action counts!