Summer water saving tips

As summer is upon us, here are some helpful water saving tips to reduce your consumption (and your bill).

IN THE HOME

• Use the dishwasher only when it is full
  
• Thaw frozen food overnight in the fridge or in the microwave, don't run water over it
  
• Use the proper load settings on your clothing washer, don't use long wash cycles unless clothes are very dirty
  
• Rinse veggies in a sink full of cold water rather than under running water
  
• Store drinking water in the refrigerator
  
• Use water to feed plants, etc instead of pouring it out
  
• Install flow reducing shower heads
  
• Install faucet aerators
  
• Repair leaky faucets and toilets
  
• Fill baths up only half way instead of full
  
• Time your showers
  
• Don't run water while brushing teeth
  
• Keep a small trash can beside the toilet to dispose of non-stinky uses of toilet paper and tissues
  
• Don't prewash dishes in the sink before putting them in the dishwasher
  

OUTSIDE

• Keep a rainfall schedule to avoid watering unnecessarily
  
• In summer water lawns in early morning or the evening
  
• Don't use sprinklers that spray in a fine mist
  
• Plant native trees and plants that will need little to no special irrigating
  
• Use drip irrigation for shrubs and flowerbeds
  
• Use a broom instead of a water hose to clean debris from your concrete walkways