More Ways to Save

• Share water conservation tips with friends and neighbors.
• If your toilet was installed before 1992, reduce the amount of water used for each flush by inserting a displacement device in the tank.
• Setting cooling systems and water softeners for a minimum number of refills saves both water and chemicals, plus more on utility bills.
• Washing dark clothes in cold water saves both on water and energy while it helps your clothes to keep their colors.
• Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
• Report broken pipes, open hydrants and errant sprinklers to the property owner or your water provider.
• Let your lawn go dormant during the summer. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three weeks or less if it rains.
• Plant with finished compost to add water-holding and nutrient-rich organic matter to the soil.
• Use sprinklers that deliver big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller water drops and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
• Listen for dripping faucets and running toilets. Fixing a leak can save 300 gallons a month or more.
• Water only when necessary. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering.