Every Drop Counts!

Conserve, conserve, conserve. That's all we seem to hear these days while the state of California sustains its drought conditions. We want to do the right thing and conserve Earth's precious resources, but we don't always quite know how! Here are some tips for conserving water in four areas of your home. Although they seem like little things, even just a few of these practices can make a large impact on overall conservation, and will certainly help you do your part at this challenged time for water.


LAUNDRY
Front-loading washers use considerably less water than top-loaders, and several utility companies are already offering significant rebates for higher-efficiency washers that meet the qualifying criteria.

Wash full loads, instead of tossing in just your favorite jeans and a few socks! Wait until the basket is overflowing and wash with confidence that you are not wasting water.Set your washer setting to "single rinse."


BATHROOM
Flush your toilet less frequently when there is no solid waste. "If it's yellow, it's mellow." Also, some utility companies offer a "toilet tummy" to reduce each flush by 3 quarts, an improvement over what they did during the Great Depression by placing an actual brick in the toilet tank! Also, don't use the toilet to flush anything but toilet paper, so you won't tax it and generate more water usage.

Have a pitcher or watering can handy in the bathroom to collect tap water while you are waiting for the temperature desired. This runoff water is utterly wasted, when it could be collected for watering houseplants or garden planters.

Install aerators on faucets. These are available free of charge from some utility companies within our state.

Sing in the shower instead of soaking in a bath. Low-flow showerheads can reduce water usage to 2 gallons per minute, rendering a 10-minute shower's using half the water of a bath. In the interest of conservation, nix the Jacuzzi tub until rainfall sets in and the drought status is lifted.

Use and egg time to monitor your shower. Pick a song you know is shorter or forget the last chorus of your usual favorite. If you limit your shower to five minutes, you are already doing something for the cause.

Look into rebate programs for changing shower heads and toilets for low-flow models. If your city does not have the program yet, keep checking back. It is the shape of things to come.


KITCHEN
Steam your veggies instead of boiling them. You will use less water and you will not boil the water-soluble vitamins away in the process! This is a healthy choice you can make for both yourself and the environment. Another option is to microwave those vegetables after a quick rinsing dunk in a bowl of water. The water clinging to them is more than ample for microwaving.

Rinse vegetables in a small bowl of water instead of the tap in your sink. It's all you really need to get them free from sand and soil, and you will save quarts!

Scrape dishes into the trash (or compost if you are so inclined) and do not rinse them before placing them in the dishwasher. As with the laundry, try to wait for a full load to run this device. Did you know that you can use 10 gallons of water in a dishwasher but rinsing them first will likely use an additional 20 gallons? Kinda makes you go "hmmmm..."

If you do handwash the dishes, soak them in a sink of sudsy water to wash them and rinse in a bowl of water rather than running the tap.

Keep a pitcher of cold water in the fridge, rather than waiting for the tap to run cold.

Install an aerator. Again, these are available free of charge from some utility companies within our state.


OUTSIDE
Mulch is key. It builds healthy soil and keeps weeds at bay, of course, but it is essential for gardening where water conservation is concerned. A little-known fact is that recycled mulch can be obtained free of charge from tree trimmers. You might have to commit to an entire truckload, so gather up your peers and have a mulch day.

Replace your lawn with drought-friendly native plants. California and Mediterranean species will thrive indeed, but it might be best to wait until fall when rains are more likely to come and settle the new plants in.

Install a drip irrigation system. Your local garden center or an internet search will provide information on options for this type of system that is gently on the water system.

Put the squeeze on your hose! A nozzle to regulate water usage and flow direction is a perfect measure to ensure water conservation. After all, the pavement around your pool doesn’t need watering while you pass through the area with the hose running!

Water at night for minimal evaporation. Your plants will love you for this too.

Wash your car at a recycled water car wash. If you must wash it yourself, do so the old-fashioned way with a bucket and sponge, rinsing sparingly.

Even if you implement only a few of these practices in your daily life to conserve water, the effort you make can really help, and none is too small. Also, you can forward these tips to friends and colleagues you think might be interested in doing their part. Remember, if each of us does something small, the result will be a sizeable collective impact.