That is the question everyone has been asking ever since Governor Brown urged every Californian to cut their water use by 20%. On average, Riverside residents use around 70 million gallons of water each day. To keep in step with the Governor’s proposal, we each need to save about 15 gallons a day.
Luckily there are some simple ways to conserve water in the home that can really add up.
- Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth: 10 gallons
- Install a low-flow showerhead: 12.5 gallons
- Shorten your shower to 5 minutes: 12.5 gallons
- Use the light wash setting on your dishwasher (and don’t pre-rinse): 8 gallons
- Put aerators in kitchen and bathroom sinks: 3 gallons
To conserve more water outside of the home, try the following tips when tending to your lawns and gardens:
- Let the grass grow to twice the typical length. The denser grass will help reduce evaporation and lessen your need to water.
- Plant drought-resistant native plants, which have adapted to our low-water climate and won’t need regular watering after they’ve been established.
- Install spray nozzles for your hoses to keep water from gushing out as you move it around the yard.
- Clean driveways and walkways with a broom—not a hose.
- Turn off sprinklers in the parkway between the street and the lawn. The Western Municipal Water District is offering rebates for high-efficiency sprinkles nozzles and free precision spray nozzles while supplies last!
- Replace your thirsty grass lawn with drought-friendly designs.
For more water conservation tips, visit Save Your Water or the Metropolitan Water District.
In what ways are you already conserving water in your life?
