Tips to Conserve Water and Use Water Efficiently

Water is used for a variety of uses such as irrigating our lawns and landscapes, flushing of toilets, washing clothes and dishes, taking showers and cooking to name a few. Water conservation and efficiency is simple to implement, and together we can make a difference.

These water-saving tips will put you on the path to conserving water in and around your home.

How To Save Water Outdoors

Yard Maintenance

Sign up at WaterMyYard.org for recommendations on when and how much to water your lawn.
Finish watering before 7 a.m. and start after 9 p.m. to minimize evaporation. Learn more about evapotranspiration and how it should effect your watering.
Run your sprinklers in short cycles and wait 30-45 minutes in between to allow your grass to absorb water and reduce runoff. Learn how to Cycle, Soak, and Save!
Regularly check the irrigation heads on your sprinkler system to ensure they are watering your lawn, not your driveway, sidewalk or street.
Raise the mower blade height during summer and avoid cutting more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at one time to conserve water and reduce plant stress. Warm Season Mowing Recommendations!
We’re more likely to notice leaks indoors, but don’t forget to check outdoor faucets, sprinklers and hoses for leaks.
Plant native and adapted plants to reduce the amount of water your landscape requires. Houston Native Plants
Grass and plants that have good soil have a good root system which makes better use of less water and is more drought-tolerant. Soil Testing

Pool Maintenance

Limit the frequency of pool refilling to only when required for water quality or for maintenance reasons.
Be sure to check for leaks that would cause your pool to fill unnecessarily. How to test for pool leaks.
Clean all pool filters as regularly as possible to prevent unnecessary backwashing. Backwashing can use up to 1000 gallons of water each time it occurs. If a timer controls the backwash, check and adjust the frequency of the cycle to ensure optimal efficiency.
Cover your pool/hot tub when not in use to prevent evaporation. If your pool shape isn’t ideal for a physical cover consider a chemical cover.
Use a pool vacuum that recycles the water when cleaning the pool.

How To Save Water Indoors

Install WaterSense appliances. EPA’s WaterSence
Toilets are one the most common sources of leaks in the home, and usually go unnoticed because the leaks are often silent and out of view. How to check toilet for leaks.
Set the thermostat on the hot water heater at a reasonable level. Extremely hot settings waste water (because it takes some extra cold water to make it usable) and energy and can even cause minor burns.
Consider installing a low-flow faucet aerator for sinks. This could actually help you save up to half the water you normally use at the sink. Routine cleaning of aerators.
Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator. Running water from the tap until it is cool enough to drink is wasteful.
Use cold water whenever possible. This saves energy, too, and conserves the hot water for other uses. This is also better for most of today’s fabrics and works best for many laundry soaps.
Use a moisture meter to determine when house plants need water. More plants die from over-watering than from being on the dry side. Request a free one on our contact form.