With summer in full swing, water conservation comes to the forefront of any homeowner's mind. If you want to be both environmentally friendly, as well as financially friendly with your utility bills, follow these tips to be smart with your water usage this summer.


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  • Use the dishwasher. This may seem a bit counter intuitive, but studies show that a home with 2 or more members uses more water by hand washing dishes than by using the dishwasher. To get the most out of your dishwasher, make sure you scrape dishes completely clean, don't pre-rinse, and only run the washer when it is completely full.
  • Be smart with laundry. Only wash full loads of clothes. Also, try to avoid the "permanent press" setting, which tends to use extra water in some phases of the cycle.
  • Be smart in the kitchen. When thawing meat, don't run it under the faucet. Let it thaw in the fridge (this saves water and prevents the meat from going bad). Wash vegetables and fruit in a bowl of water rather than a stream from the faucet.
  • Take showers instead of baths. Showers use less water than filling a bath tub, especially if you install a lower-flow showerhead. This can reduce your water consumption by more than half.
  • Fix any leaky faucets you may have. It may not seem like a big deal, but a leaky faucet can waste up to 2500 gallons of water per year! Fixing it before the problem worsens will save you money both in the short run and the long run!


This is a small list, so feel free to add any tips you may have!