How to Conserve Water at Home

1 Turn Off the Faucet When Brushing Your Teeth

By turning the faucet off when brushing your teeth (and only turning it on to rinse your mouth and toothbrush), you'll save eight gallons of water per day!

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2 Take Showers Instead of Baths

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Seeing as it takes about 70 gallons of water to fill a bathtub, short showers are much more water efficient. As often as you can, take a shower instead of a bath to save water.

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3 Only Run Your Dishwasher With a Full Load

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If you're lucky enough to have a dishwasher, you know how convenient they are, but they also use a ton of water. Since dishwashers use a lot of water for each load, you can preserve water by saving washer use for full loads only. Everything else can quickly be washed in the sink (just remember to turn off the water while you're scrubbing dishes!).

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4 Don't Use Water During Peak Periods

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According to the nonprofit organization American Rivers, 30 to 60 percent of drinking water in homes is used to water yards and gardens. You can cut down on wasting this water by shortening the time you water your lawn or plants each day, watering fewer days a week, avoiding watering during peak periods, and making sure that your sprinkler is only hitting the necessary spots (e.g. no sidewalks!).

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5 Go to a Professional Car Wash

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It sounds weird and almost counterproductive, but according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, going to a professional car wash instead of washing your car at home can actually save up to 100 gallons of water.

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6 Check For Leaks in Your Home

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Nobody enjoys getting a leak in their home, but it's better to be proactive about searching for them than to be surprised when they arrive. According to National Geographic, "10 gallons per day of your water footprint (or 14% of your indoor use) is lost to leaks," so be sure to regularly check your toilets, faucets, washing-machine hookups, and showers every month to get ahead of any issues.

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7 Rinse Your Razor in the Sink

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Instead of shaving during your shower, which can take up a decent chunk of time while the water is running, shave over the edge of the bathtub with the water shut off. Then, rinse your razor in the sink instead of the shower to save resources. This'll help you take shorter showers and use less water!

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8 Wash Full Loads of Laundry

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Washing full loads of laundry is best, but sometimes you just need to throw in a small load when you need something to be clean. Small loads are still OK — just be sure to set the machine to the right water-level setting. Also, if you switch to an Energy Star washing machine, it can clean clothes using 35 percent less water and 20 percent less energy than standard appliances use.

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9 Cover Your Outdoor Pool

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If you have an outdoor pool, then you know it takes thousands of gallons to fill it. If it's not covered, evaporation can cause hundreds of gallons of water per month to be lost!

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10 Use a Rain Barrel

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If you have a garden, set up a rain barrel outside to water the plants with. You can also set up a bucket in your shower to collect excess water, then take it outside for your daily watering, or use the leftover water in your pet bowls to water your plants before you refill them!

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