• Repair all water leaks in toilets and faucets immediately. One drop per second wastes 2,400 gallons of water a year.
• Place a bucket inside the shower to collect “warm-up” water. This otherwise wasted water is great for container plants.
• Install water-saving toilets, faucets and showerheads;
  water savings would equal about 5.4 billion gallons a day if every American home did this.
• Turn off water while brushing teeth or shaving.
• Scrape dirty dishes instead of using the dishwasher pre-rinse cycle.
• Run dishwashers and washing machines on full loads only.
• Limit disposal use by composting garbage.

Outdoors

• Use an automatic timed sprinkler system to water your yard. It is the most efficient water system because it controls the amount of water. It can also be set to run overnight or in the early morning when temperatures and winds are at the lowest levels, reducing the amount of evaporation. What’s more, these systems allow you to adjust to different application rates for different types of plants—all automatically adjustable to changing weather conditions.
• Install a drip irrigation system. Slow watering can save up to 60% of all water used in lawn and garden areas.
• Spike or aerate lawns to ensure maximum penetration.
• Use pressurized irrigation systems—they deliver water more efficiently than any other method to lawns, gardens and crops.
• Use a broom or blower on sidewalks and driveways instead of a hose.
• Utilize soil moisture measurement devices. They monitor the amount of water in the soil available to plants and will turn irrigation watering on or off as appropriate to maximize plant growth while minimizing water use.
• Properly prune or trim trees, shrubs and other woody plants to maximize the plants’ health and minimize invasion by pests.
• Remove dead or dying plants and all weeds that compete for available water.
• Wash cars with a bucket of water. Do not let the water run while washing your car. Use a nozzle or hose-end turn off valve. If possible, drive your vehicle onto the lawn so excess water can be absorbed into the landscape.
• Use pool covers to reduce evaporation. In arid climates, an average-sized swimming pool loses about 1,000 gallons of water per month if left uncovered.
• Avoid using sprinklers for play; this accounts for an incalculable loss of water.
• Water landscapes infrequently, but more deeply.
• Loosen soil around plants occasionally, or mulch the soil surface to cut down on water evaporation.
• Move container plants to sheltered areas, away from excess wind and sun.
• Maintain sharp blades on pruning shears and lawn mowers.
• Repair all water leaks on hose couplings, bib leaks and similar connections as soon as detected.
• Purchase plants that have scientifically documented low water requirements.