How can I be more water efficient at home?

Here are some tips on how to be more water efficient inside and outside your home. 

Indoors

  • Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry.
  • Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. 
  • Check your faucets and toilets for leaks.
  • Reduce your faucets’ water flow in half by installing inexpensive aerators. Purchase aerators at your local hardware store. You can also conserve water by reducing the water pressure. Do this by turning down the valve under the sink that supplies water to the faucet.
  • Shorten your shower by a few minutes or install a water-efficient shower head.
  • Thaw food in the refrigerator rather than under running water. 
  • Replace appliances and fixtures with water-efficient models.

Outdoors 

  • Adjust your sprinklers with the seasons. Use our watering guide for recommended irrigation times.Use a broom to clean patios, walk ways and driveways instead of the garden hose according to state law. A typical 5/8" garden hose can use 12 to 15 gallons a minute.
  • Keep your sprinklers off after a good rainstorm for about 2-3 days according to state law.
  • Apply water in the early morning or evening hours to minimize loss through evaporation, especially when temperatures are high. But every rule has an exception: you may need to split up your watering to multiple times throughout the day if your yard has fast drainage or sandy soil for better absorption.
  • Turn off your sprinklers on windy days to avoid water waste. Winds blow water away from plants and cause it to evaporate more rapidly. 
  • Pull out weeds before they steal valuable moisture and nutrients that should go to your plants. 
  • Use mulch to help plants retain water. It improves your water efficiency by insulating the soil, improving soil structure, curtailing weed growth, preventing soil crusting and reducing the need for cultivation. Mulches include organic matter such as ground bark, redwood sawdust and compost. 
  • Set your lawn mower to a higher setting; longer grass keeps the soil moist.

Show All Answers

1. Can COVID-19 (coronavirus) get into my drinking water?
2. Can CVWD continue treating and delivering water if COVID-19 spreads?
3. Do I need to stockpile bottled water?
4. Do I need to install a water filter?
5. Are CVWD’s offices still open for business?
6. Will I be fined for increased indoor water use?
7. How can I be more water efficient at home?
8. Where can I learn more about COVID-19 and water?