save water

This is basically a toilet that flushes a smaller amount of water for when you pee and more water for pooping, thereby saving water. Use the half flush button with a dual flush toilet. You can also buy a dual flush conversion kit to turn your water guzzling toilet into a water saver you can be proud of. Search the web for devices like Selectaflush and Twoflush. They both work well and save money.

Dont flush every time. Remember; If its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down. Also, dont use your toilet as a trash can. Each time you flush you use up to 9 liters of clean water, which is a lot of unnecessary waste.

You might be very surprised to find out how much water you are actually using. By installing a water meter you can raise your awareness and consequently reduce your water intake.If you already have a water meter, learn how to read it. Among other things, it can be very helpful in detecting leaks. Read the meter once, wait an hour or two without running any water, and read it again. If it has moved, something is leaking.Many water meters have a small wheel or gear that turns fairly rapidly if any water at all is flowing. If you are sure all your water is turned off and you see this wheel moving at all, you have a leak. If your water meter is underground, you may need to remove debris from the face to read it. Squirt it with a bit of water from a spray bottle to clear the surface.

Only water the areas that need it, and use a trigger nozzle on your house or water can to save water. You can also, catch the rain and use it for watering your plants, lawn or garden.Water the garden and lawn at night. Watering at night gives water more time to soak in without added evaporation from the days heat. Water deeply but less often. This will encourage plants to grow deeper roots, so that they need water less frequently. The roots of grass dont grow as deep as those of other plants, but they can still be encouraged by deeper, less frequent watering. One way to water deeply with a minimum of water is to water slowly using drip irrigation or micro sprinklers. The simplest form is a soaker hose; other options include drip tape or hoses with emitters. These systems do not lose water to evaporation like overhead irrigation and keep plant foliage dry to help lessen disease. Buried tape applies the water to the root zone for even greater efficiency. These systems may need to have acid added to the water to keep calcium or iron from plugging the tiny emitters.

Dont mow your lawn too short. Raise the height of your mower blade, or simply let it grow a bit longer between mowing. This way you wont have to use as much water.Grow no grass or less grass. Plant something besides a lawn or reduce the size of your lawn. Lawns require much more water (and maintenance) to keep growing than many other plants and ground covers.If you live in an area with infrequent rain, consider not planting grass and instead using plants from your area that dont need as much attention and water.

Plant small trees under big trees. This will help prevent evaporation and provides some shade for your plants. You can also plant a shade garden under trees.Use mulch on your garden to retain moisture. Ideal mulch candidates include hay, manure, leaves, wood chips, bark, and newspaper. Many mulches are available for free or very low cost. The right organic mulch can also help improve your soil as it breaks down and keep weeds in check. Know how much water plants need to thrive, and dont apply more water than that.Grow plants with like water needs together. Sometimes called hydro zoning, this method simply means that plants are grouped together by water use, so that they can all be watered appropriately.Use furrows and basins. Dig low areas to water only the root zones of your plants, not bare areas around them.

This helps to prevent evaporation. In some places, emptying and refilling a pool is under severe restrictions, or even banned, so preserving this precious resource is crucial.

Put a timer on your sprinkler and outdoor faucets taps. Look for inexpensive, automatic timers that screw between the hose and the hose bib, or install a programmable timer on your sprinkler or drip system. An automatic timer can also help you water at times of day when the water can best be absorbed.If you water something manually, set a kitchen timer before you turn the water on, or stay with the hose the whole time.Know how to adjust your sprinkler and irrigation timer settings for the seasons. Water less or not at all during wetter, cooler weather.Dont over water, and dont water any faster than the soil can absorb the water. If water is running off the lawn onto the sidewalk, cut the watering time or divide it into two smaller segments to allow time for the water to absorb.

If you have irrigation on timers, watch it run. Fix broken sprinkler heads and pipes and make sure that spray patterns are directed where they are intended.

Use a trigger nozzle hose and or bucket. There are even waterless spray and wipe car wash products, but they tend to be costly.Wash the car less often. Everyday dust and dirt wont harm anything if it collects for a little while.Wash the car at a car wash. Car washes may use less water than you can use at home. Car washes also collect and filter the waste water appropriately. Use environmentally friendly cleansers. This will enable you to reuse waste water from washing to water the lawn or garden.