Surviving the Drought: 25 Easy Ways to Conserve Water

How much water are you using?

• Reuse cooking water – if you have boiled pasta or vegetables, use this water for making soup. You will have retained some of the nutrients and flavor from the first thing you cooked in the water.
  
• Landscape with plants that grow naturally in your area.  They should require little in the way of additional watering. Your county extension office can often help with this. You can also take a hike and find many lovely plants that thrive whatever you climate happens to be.
  
• Grow organic. Chemical fertilizers can increase a plant’s need for water. (This book has some amazing tips for organic drought gardening.)
  
• Wash some clothing by hand – it will use far less water than your washing machine.   Be sure and save the water for other uses.
  
• When shaving, rinse your razor in a cup instead of under running water.
  
• Skip the dishwasher and do the dishes by hand.
  
• Instead of running water over each dish to rinse, fill one side of the sink or a basin with rinse water containing a splash of white vinegar. Running water uses up to 4 gallons per minute. If you use a basin, you can use your rinse water for other purposes.
  
• Use a glass of water to brush your teeth instead of running the tap the entire time.
  
• Use an organic mulch in your garden to help retain moisture.
  
• Wash produce in a basin of water instead of under running water.
  
• When you clean out your fish tank, reserve the water for your garden. Your veggies will love the nutrient boost!
  
• Harvest rainwater for your garden. (In some places, where the government believes they own the water falling from the sky, subtlety may be in order.) This one looks like an attractive planter that can be discreetly placed at the downspouts of your house.
  

• Add an inexpensive displacement bag to fill space in the back of the toilet tank. This reduces the amount of water used in each flush. You can also use a brick, but I like that the bags are more flexible.
  
• Speaking of flushing, you may have heard the rhyme, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.”
  
• Devise a gray water catchment system for your shower, your washing machine, and your kitchen.  This water can be used for flushing, watering plants, and for cleaning. Do keep in mind that some counties do not allow gray water to be reused, even in the midst of an epic drought. Do what you will with this information.
  
• Take shorter showers – try to reduce them to 5 minutes – this can save up to 1000 gallons per month! If you can’t handle a 5-minute shower, every 2 minutes you shorten your shower time by can save approximately 150-200 gallons per month.
  
• Install a water-saving shower head.
  
• When you have a shower, plug the tub. Use the water you collect for handwashing laundry or for watering plants. If you aren’t absolutely filthy when you get in the shower, this shouldn’t be a problem.
  
• If you do use a dishwasher, run it only when it’s completely full – this can save you 1000 gallons per month.
  
• If you drop a tray of ice cubes, pop them into a pet dish or into your potted plants.
  
• When washing your hands, dip them in a basin of water, lather up, then rinse under running water. Running water uses up to 4 gallons per minute.
  
• Upgrade your faucets with inexpensive (and very simple to install) aerators with flow restrictors.
  
• Use a nozzle on your hose so that you are only putting water where you want it, not spraying it uselessly as you walk to the garden.
  
• Repair leaks. At the rate of one drip per second, that adds up to 5 gallons per day…literally down the drain.
  
• If you are buying new items for your home, opt for those which use water more efficiently, like front-loading washing machines and low flush toilets.