Water conservation in the home has many benefits. Not only does it lower your water bill, but it also helps prevent municipal water systems or septic systems from becoming overloaded. This can help prevent pollution; if water systems become overloaded, bacterial contamination can leak into nearby streams, rivers and lakes. There are a number of steps you can take to ensure you're using the least amount of water possible in your home.

Bathroom

• Water conservation should start in the bathroom. First, focus on saving water in the shower. Reduce the time you spend taking showers; you can either be sure to limit the shower to the amount of time it takes you to soap up and rinse off, or you can turn the water off while you shampoo, soap up and shave. You can also purchase and install a low-flow shower head. Typical showers can use five to 10 gallons every minute, while low-flow shower heads can reduce the flow to 2.5 gallons per minute. There are other simple ways to save water in the bathroom, including turning the water off while you brush your teeth and avoiding flushing the toilet to dispose of small pieces of trash such as facial tissues.

 

Kitchen

• There are also numerous opportunities to save water in the kitchen. First, limit your use of the garbage disposal; throw away or compost as much as you can. Only run your dishwasher once it is full, and avoid using the extra-long prewash or scrub cycles. Finally, when washing vegetables or dishes in the sink, don't keep the water running. For vegetables, you can fill a container with water and wash them in there. When washing dishes, fill the sink with water and stopper the drain, only using the water that's in the sink. Use a washcloth or sponge to remove any stuck-on foods rather than relying on the force of the water.

Yard and Garden

• Watering 1,000 square feet of lawn with one inch of water can take up to 660 gallons. Because it's easy to waste water outside, it's important that you remain vigilant of the amount of water you use outside. Be sure to water your lawn in the early morning; when watering later in the day, much of the water is lost due to evaporation. Also avoid purchasing sprinklers that emit a fine mist, because much of the water is lost through evaporation and wind.

Throughout Your Home

• Be sure to regularly check your pipes and appliances for leaks. Even small leaks can waste a significant amount of water. Thus, it's important to spot leaks early so that the leak doesn't worsen and waste water for a long period of time.