Most plants absorb and utilize water best in the morning or evening. Water evaporates quickly when the sun is high up in the sky, so gardeners suggest watering your plants and lawn in the early morning or late afternoon/evening. If you have a garden, try and water in the early morning. Many fruit and vegetable bearing crops like soaking up the water throughout the day. Watering these rather delicate plants at night may lead to frost development, which can cause them to die or grow bacteria/fungus. Lastly, think about switching to drip-irrigation. Sprinklers are inefficient in getting the water in the ground, because of factors such as wind. Drip irrigation uses less water than sprinklers and is made to specifically target certain plants, making them much more water efficient.

Big, expansive green lawns have been a staple of the American home for decades. While they are an appealing sight, grass is designed to grow in wet and cool climates, not hot and arid ones typically found in the western states (AZ, CA, NV, etc.). The upkeep of a gardener and the amount of water needed to maintain a grass lawn is very expensive. If you want to say goodbye to pricey maintenance and water expenses, consider switching to a drought-tolerant lawn. Beautiful desert flowers and plants create a lawn that will blend in with your surrounding environment and require little maintenance. You’ll immediately see a decrease in irrigation bills. Best of all many state and local water departments offer rebates that may help cover the cost of every inch of transformed lawn.

Save time and energy and put those dirty plates and utensils in the dishwasher. Hand washing a full load of dishes can use up to 27 gallons of water, compared to an Energy-star rated dishwasher which uses a mere 3 gallons per load. Remember to put only full loads in the dishwasher to be extra water smart! Again, some cities even give rebates for upgrading to efficient appliances!

Everyone likes a shiny, clean car. So instead of taking hours to clean your vehicle, take it to a car wash. Just like the dishes, you can save time, energy, and water by taking your vehicle to the car wash. An average at home wash can use more than a hundred gallons of water per car. While car washes tend to average only around 40 gallons per car. Most car washes take water conservation seriously, because it lowers their overhead costs. Some car washes are especially eco friendly, boasting as low as 5 or 10 gallons of water per wash. Plus, you are supporting local business!

Lay down a plastic or vinyl cover over your pool to reduce maintenance expenses throughout the year, heating costs, and water evaporation in the summer! Pool covers are budget friendly, eco friendly alternatives to traditional gas heating. A pool cover acts as a blanket for your pool and traps escaping heat and water inside. They also prevent leaves, dirt, and animals from entering the water. Beyond this, according to US Department of Energy pool covers offer several key benefits:

Gosh, who doesn’t love a nice and relaxing long shower? It might seem like the most difficult change, but it is a worthwhile investment. Cutting down your shower by only 2 minutes per shower can save up to 1,750 gallons of water per person in your household each year. Large families can save hundreds of dollars each year in utility costs if each person simply takes slightly shorter showers. If taking long showers is your ultimate source of comfort, and nothing will stop you from those 15 minutes of wonder, then think about installing a low flow shower head. Low flow fixtures can reduce your water consumption by thousands of gallons each year. Low flow shower heads have become better at retaining adequate pressure too, so don’t think you showers won’t be enjoyable after the switch. Low flow appliances, like shower heads, toilets, faucets, and washing machines are often subject to government incentives and rebates. So, make sure to do your research on the WaterSense Rebate Finder because you might be able to score a major deal on these water efficient appliances and fixtures!