25 Ways to Save on Your Water Bill

In the interest of conserving water and cutting back on your water bill I present to you a collection of 25 different ways that you can conserve water.

Check your toilet for leaks. You can do this by putting some food coloring in the tank. Wait and if color appears in the bowl, you've got a leaky toilet.

Avoid flushing cigarettes, small tissues, or other pieces of what could otherwise be normal trash down the toilet.

Put a brick in the toilet tank. This allows you to use less water per flush.

Take shorter showers. Personally, I love my showers and doing this would be a real challenge.

Install low flow shower heads. Personally, I've yet to experience a low flow shower head that allowed for a good intense, wake you up in the morning, kind of shower.

Start taking baths. Strange as it may seem taking a bath actually uses less water than most showers.

Fill the sink with a bit of water and use that to rinse off your razor. It will use less water than rinsing your razor under running water.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

Check your indoor faucets and pipes for leaks. Many leaks can be fixed with simple and cheap washers you can get at the local hardware store.

Use your dishwasher only when you have a full load.

Don't leave the water running while you do the dishes. Use a spray hose or a pan full of hot water to rinse your dishes off.

Clean your vegetables in a bowl or in a sink filled with water. Don't clean them under running water.

Keep water in the refrigerator. This way when you need a cool drink you won't have to run the water until it cools down. You just reach into the fridge and take your already chilled water.

Only use your clothes washer when you have a full load.

Water your lawn only when it needs watering.

Water your lawn for long enough to allow the water to soak into the ground. Light sprinklings of water often evaporate before they can get to the roots to water your plants.

Water your lawn in the early morning or late afternoon. These times are when the sun is at its least intense and thus less of your water will wind up evaporating.

Stop watering the pavement! No matter how much you water that sidewalk or driveway it just isn't going to grow any.

Plant drought resistant grasses, shrubs and trees.

Consider landscaping with local plants. These plants normally thrive in your local environment and will probably be just fine with minimal or no additional watering. They also tend to be more resistant to local weeds and bugs. And because they normally grow in the area they often require less fertilization.

Put a layer of mulch around trees and shrubs. Mulch both prevents the growth of weeds and discourages evaporation.

Clean your sidewalks and driveway with a broom and not a hose.

Clean your car with a bucket of soapy water. Only use the hose to rinse it off.

Check the outside of your house for water leaks.

No more letting the children play in the sprinkler.