A typical family of 4 uses approximately 400 gallons of water per day. If only 10% of U.S. homes changed to water conserving fixtures and appliances it could save up to 300 billion gallons of water a year. When looking for water conserving fixtures for your bath be sure to check for the new Watersense labels on the box. This tells you that your fixture has been certified by the government to meet strict water conservation standards and has went through a rigorous testing process by an independent testing lab. Watersense labels are the newest thing in water conservation. All Watersense labeled products can save you up to 20% on your over all water usage. Test how good you are at conserving water by taking the watersense quiz at www.epa.gov/watersense/quiz.

Tip 1: Replace your standard 2.2 gallon per minute faucet aerator with a low flow 1.5 gallon per minute faucet aerator. By doing this you can keep your original faucet and not sacrifice beauty for water conservation or performance. Without sacrificing performance this change will save you approximately 30% on your water usage. Perhaps the best part of this water conserving improvement is the fact that it can be done in less than five minutes and without tools.

Tip 2: Replace your standard 2.5 gallon per minute showerhead with a low flow 1.75 gallon per minute showerhead. This is typically a relatively simple job for a do-it-yourselfer and can be done in less than 1 hour with the proper tools. Without sacrificing performance this change will also save you approximately 30% on your water usage. Several different low flow showerhead models are available on the market including adjustable flow models which allow you to customize your spray pattern while saving you water and money.

Tip 3: Toilets are one of the biggest water users in the home. A typical toilet can consume up to 25% of all the water used by the household. This creates a large concern for those on municipal water. A lot of water is wasted just flushing the toilet once. Many ideas have been developed to combat this problem, but most fall short of the goal. Try replacing your 3 gallon per flush toilet with a 1.28 gallon per flush toilet. This change can save you over 50% on your total household water usage and almost 20% from a 1.6 gallon per flush toilet that will save a family of 4 nearly 3200 gallons per year. A canister flush valve is used to reduce the water usage. It opens and closes so quickly that all the water in the tank is evacuated at once giving you an extremely powerful flush.

Tip 4: Replace your old top loading washing machine with a new energy saving front loading model. This change can save you up to 75% on your water usage from doing your laundry which is annual savings of up to 7,000 gallons. Many models also offer ways to save even more on your water consumption.

Tip 5: Installing an automatic shutoff valve or pressure sensitive hoses on your washing machine will not only save you money on water, but will protect your home from water damage caused by burst hoses.

Tip 6: Replacing your 10 year old dishwasher can help you save significantly on your kitchens water usage. Be sure to look for the energy star label before you buy to make sure you are getting the best water conserving dishwasher you can. Also make sure that you fully load the dishwasher, it uses the same amount of water no matter how much it has in it. This little trick will not only save you on time washing your dishes, but will save money and water. Be sure to leave yourself extra time to do your dishes also, new water saving dishwashers take more time to do your dishes because they use less water.

Tip 7: Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses in your flowerbeds and gardens. The savings due to less evaporation can be as much as 750 -1,500 gallons per month. Also remember to water your plants deeply, but infrequently, this will make them healthier and stronger as well as saving you water and money. Water during the early morning when it’s cooler to reduce evaporation and prevent fungus from growing in your lawn, flowerbeds and garden. Make sure that your sprinklers are adjusted so they only hit where you need them to and don’t overspray onto your sidewalk, driveway or curb.

Tip 8: A 2-3 inch thick layer of mulch in your flowerbeds or on your garden can save you hundreds of gallons a year by reducing evaporation.

Tip 9: Fixing leaks in your house can save you as much as 20% on your water usage for each leak.