- Collect the water you use for rinsing produce and reuse it to water houseplants.
- Don’t use running water to thaw food.
- Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
- Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light, and water.
- Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
- Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
- When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
- Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain.
- Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
- Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.
- Start a compost pile. Using compost when you plant adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.
- Water your summer lawns once every three days and your winter lawn once every five days.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. This saves 150 gallons or more each time, and if you clean your property once a week, that’s more than 600 gallons a month.
- Don’t water the lawn on windy days. There’s too much evaporation. Can waste up to 300 gallons in one watering.
- In the fall, add four to six inches of mulch to your plant beds. This will protect the roots from freezing during the winter and prevent water evaporation. Such preparation will reduce the need to water as often in the coming spring and summer.
Water Conservation Tips
March 19, 2011