1. For Students/Kids:
Turn off the Tap!
Just by turning off the tap while you brush your teeth in the morning and before bedtime, you can save up to 8 gallons of water! That adds up to more than 200 gallons a month, enough to fill a huge fish tank that holds 6 small sharks! The same is true when you wash your hands or do the dishes. Turn off the tap! Scrape your dirty dishes into the trash—then put them in the dishwasher. DIshwashers are much more water efficient than washing by hand!
Shower Power!
Taking a shower uses much less water than filling up a bathtub. A shower only uses 10 to 25 gallons, while a bath takes up to 70 gallons! If you do take a bath, be sure to plug the drain right away and adjust the temperature as you fill the tub. To save even more water, keep your shower under five minutes long—try timing yourself with a clock or phone timer the next time you hop in!
2. For Kids with a little help from Adults:
Fix That Leak!
Fixing a toilet leak is a great way to reduce household water use and boost water conservation. If your toilet leaks, you could be wasting up to 200 gallons of water every day. That would be like flushing your toilet more than 50 times for no reason! Try this experiment: ask your parents to help you test for leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank at the back of the toilet. If the color seeps into the bowl without flushing, you have a leak!
Beat the Heat!
Watering your yard first thing in the morning is a great first step to water-efficient landscaping. Never water in the middle of the day. Watering when it’s hot and sunny is especially wasteful because most of the water evaporates before the plants have time to drink or absorb it. When you’re helping your parents water the yard, make sure not to water the plants too much—remember that a little sprinkle goes a long way!
Who Needs a Hose?
An easy way to save water is to use a bucket and sponge when washing cars and bikes. A hose can waste 6 gallons per minute if you leave it running, but using a bucket and sponge only uses a few gallons! Also, some car washes recycle water instead of letting it run down the sewer drains. Ask your parents to check if a car wash near you recycles water.
3. Teens and Adults:
Collect Rainwater for Reuse!
If you are able, connect a rain barrel or barrels to downspouts to efficiently collect water for reuse. No barrel, no problem! Set out a large pitcher or pot to collect water during rainfall and save water for your plants.
Save Water For Use Again On Plants and In Your Yard!
Save water after boiling vegetables, pasta or eggs. Allow to cool for a few hours or overnight, then use it to water indoor or outdoor plants. Save old water from reusable or plastic water bottles or ice cubes from drinks and coolers to use on indoor or yard plants. Rinse veggies and fruit over a large bowl or stock pot to collect water for reuse. Collect shower water as it reaches the proper temperature in a bucket or large pot to water plants.
Reduce or Replace Lawn Areas
A smaller lawn will use less water. Often, only a small portion of lawn area is used for practical purposes, the rest is just a way to fill space in our yards. Consider eliminating portions of lawn that are not frequently used. You can also use space formerly reserved for lawn to create ecologically rich and visually appealing landscape features such as meadows, perennial gardens, and shrub thickets.
Slow the Flow
When rinsing items in the sink, use an appropriate, slow flow and avoid full blasts of water, it can really add up!
Run cleanse cycles with full loads
Save water and energy by only running full loads of dishes or clothes. Your wallet will thank you!
Install efficient water fixtures
In addition to finding and fixing water leaks, choose efficient faucets and toilets when replacing water fixtures. Low-flow or retro-fitted toilets can save up to 50% water per flush! If buying a new toilet, look for ones with a “WaterSense” label from the EPA, which indicates it has been verified by an independent lab and uses no more than 1.28 gallons per flush while effectively removing waste.
