Scrape instead of pre-rinsing. Save yourself up to 20 gallons of water by scraping food off your dishes instead of pre-rinsing them. ENERGYSTAR qualified dishwashers and today’s detergents are designed to do the cleaning so you don’t have to. If your dirty dishes sit overnight, use your dishwasher’s rinse feature. It uses a fraction of the water needed to hand rinse.

Install high efficiency aerators. Installing an aerator on your bathroom or kitchen faucet and save about 1 gallon per minute each time you run them. An aerator reduces the flow from the faucet, and uses air to maintain good water pressure.

Wash only full loads. Clothes and dishwashers use about the same amount of energy and water regardless of the number of clothes or dishes inside, so run full loads whenever possible.

Let your dishwasher do the work. The average dishwasher uses about 10 gallons or less per load. Many kitchen faucets use the same amount of water by running for just four minutes. So, let your dishwasher do the work!

Use the microwave, a bowl of water, or place frozen food in fridge overnight instead of running the tap to thaw it out. You'll save about two gallons of water for each minute the faucet does not run.

Replace older toilets with a WaterSense labeled high efficiency toilet. Older toilets can use up to 4 times more water per flush.

Regularly check for & repair water leaks. Even small leaks can waste hundreds to thousands of gallons of water a month. Many water leaks can be fixed by a do-it-yourself plumber, and repair parts are relatively inexpensive to purchase ($5-20).

Take shorter showers. Each minute you shave off your shower time saves up to 2.5 gallons of water.

Select an Energy Star-approved clothes washer next time you purchase a new washer. They use 15-20 less gallons of water per load, and you will see savings on your energy costs too.

Know where your master shutoff valve is located. This could save water and prevent damage to your home.

Know when to water. Water early in the morning (before 10a.m.) or later in the evening (after 6 p.m.) when temperatures are cooler and evaporation is minimized.

Know how much to water. The amount of water needed each week changes with the weather. Sign up to receive the Weekly Watering Number for information on how much to water every week between April and September. Different plants have different water needs, as well. Learn about plants that require less water and start incorporating them into your landscape.

Water thoroughly, and less frequently to develop a more robust root system. Plants that have larger root systems are more effective at accessing water and need to be watered less frequently. Many established landscapes and lawns need to be watered one or two times per week. Newer plantings, vegetables, and potted plants may need more frequent watering. Creating a watering schedule will help ensure that your plants get the right amount of water each week.

Prevent runoff by applying only the amount of water your soil can absorb. Much of the soil in our area is clay which means it holds onto moisture, but takes longer to absorb. If puddling occurs when you water, try breaking one long watering session into several shorter ones. For example, instead of watering for 20 consecutive minutes, run sprinklers in four 5-minute sessions. This will allow water to soak into the soil and minimizes runoff.

Add compost or mulch to your soil to help it absorb and store water. Organic mulches (e.g. aged manure, bark chips, wood chips) cover and cool the soil, minimizing evaporation, soil erosion, and weed growth. Composted food scraps and plant debris from your garden (e.g. grass clippings, fall leaves) provide nutrients for your plants and increase the water-holding capabilities of your soil. Both are important for the health and well-being of your plants and can also reduce your water usage.