Action Tips: Conserve Water

Though the majority of planet earth is water (look at a map and you can clearly see how many bodies of waters there are!), only 3% of it can be used as drinking water. Let’s do something now to ensure this lasts us!

• Shorten your showers to less than 10 minutes. Already doing it in less than 10 minutes? Make it 7.
• Turn off the water while you're brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face.
• Leaky faucet or shower head? A dripping faucet can waste up to 2,000 gallons/7,600 liters of water a year. Check the plumbing in your house and repair the leaks as soon as possible.
• Ask your parents if they’d like to invest in low-flush toilets, shower heads and faucet aerators. You’ll save thousands of gallons of water each year and your parents’ water bill will be lower!
• Call your water utility company and ask for a copy of their latest water quality report. Public water utilities regularly test the quality of the drinking water they provide to customers.
• Reduce your use of pesticides and fertilizers, and look for safer alternatives to control weeds and bugs. Lawn and garden pesticides and fertilizers can pollute the water. Some alternatives are geraniums to repel Japanese beetles; garlic and mint to repel aphids; and marigolds to repel whiteflies.
• To make the most of the water you use outdoors, never water your lawn at the hottest time of day (usually in the early to mid-afternoon)or when it's windy. Turnoff your sprinklers when it’s raining. On average, 50% - 70% of household water is used outdoors for watering lawns and gardens.
• Have a garden? Use mulch. It helps to conserve water by holding moisture in the earth longer.

Sources:
American Water and Energy Savers
Earth Easy
Water Use it Wisely