Water is one of the most precious resources on Earth. It is also one of the most used resources in our homes and businesses.

We use water for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and other household chores. And we use it for flushing toilets, watering lawns, washing cars and watering flowers. Water conservation is important because it helps the environment and saves money.

Here are some easy ways to cut back on water use:

Collect rainwater.

Rainwater is one of the best resources for watering your garden, but it can also be used for washing the car, cleaning your house, and more. This may not be a good idea if you live in an area with a lot of thunderstorms or flooding. However, if you live in an area that gets only occasional rain, collecting rainwater is a great way to save money on your water bill and have more moisture on hand when needed.

Fix leaky faucets.

Leaky faucets waste water and energy. Small leaks can add up to hundreds of gallons per month, while large leaks can cause flooding in your home or neighborhood. Leaky faucets also pollute water because they release chemical byproducts contaminating groundwater supplies. Fixing a faucet can save money on your water bill and reduce your carbon footprint.

Don’t let the water run.

This is good advice in any situation, but it can be essential when you’re showering or washing dishes. That’s because those are the times when you’ll be using the most water. It might seem like a pain to turn off the faucet every time you shampoo your hair or rinse out a cup, but it’s worth considering how much money you’ll save on your utility bills.

Make the most of your dishwasher.

It’s easy to forget that running a dishwasher uses less water than washing dishes by hand. When you have time, use the dishwasher instead of rinsing dishes by hand even if there aren’t many dishes. And remember that even if you’re out of control and there are more dirty dishes than will fit in the machine, don’t fill it up half-full just so they get clean.

Collect rinse water from fruits and vegetables

This is one of the simplest ways to save water without sacrificing taste. After washing fruits and vegetables, collect the rinse water in a bucket or watering can and use it to water plants or fill the toilet tank.

Plant drought-tolerant plants and grasses in your yard

If you don’t want to replace your lawn with xeriscaping, consider using drought-tolerant grasses such as buffalo grass or blue gramma grass instead of Kentucky bluegrass. These grasses require less maintenance and will survive during drought with minimal irrigation or supplemental watering from rainwater collection systems.

Rain Barrels

A rain barrel is a container used to collect runoff from rain or snowfall and store it in an underground cistern for later use on your property. Rain barrels are most effective when placed near a building where they can collect more water before being led into another container such as a cistern. One way of using a rain barrel besides collecting runoff water is by filling it up with gray water (i.e., wastewater) from washing dishes or taking showers or baths for later re-use.

Conclusion

Conserving water isn’t difficult, which is something of relief during a time when we all have to learn to live within our means. So, check out some of these water conservation tips and start getting more out of every drop.