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Easy Ways to Save

Every day is a chance to save. In fact, every day provides many opportunities for easy ways to save water. Here's a sample of smart, simple choices you can make whenever you use water — outdoors or indoors.

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Watering your yard deeply (about 1 inch) and infrequently (about once a week) produces a beautiful and healthy lawn. Click the image below to see the impact different types of watering methods have on the health of lawn root systems.

root system display

Additional tips include:

  1. Check your sprinklers often for directional aim and broken heads, and redirect, repair or replace them as necessary.
  2. Use sprinklers that spray large drops of water close to the ground rather than a fine mist over the top.
  3. Install an automatic sensor that shuts off your sprinkler system whenever it freezes, rains or is unusually windy.
  4. Operate your sprinkler system manually, for more control over when and how much you water.
  5. Use a drip irrigation system or soaker hoses rather than sprinklers to water trees, shrubs and garden beds.
  6. Plant water-wise plants native to North Texas (for ideas, check the lists of recommended native plants from the Native Plant Society of Texas - North Central Chapter or the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Native Plant Information Network.
  7. Raising the lawnmower blade and cutting grass to a height of 3 inches shades the soil, which reduces evaporation and allows roots to grow deeper.
  8. Leaky indoor faucets tend to get your attention, but don't forget to check outside spigots, pipes and hoses for leaks, and repair or replace as needed.
  9. Install low-flow toilets and showerheads throughout your house (if your current shower can fill a one-gallon bucket within 20 seconds, then it should be replaced).
  10. Wash dishes in the dishwasher rather than by hand. Don't waste water pre-rinsing dishes, and run the dishwasher only with a full load.
  11. Invest in an energy-efficient clothes washer, adjust the water level to your load size, and run the washer only with a full load.
  12. Turn off the water while you shave, and rinse your razor in a plugged sink rather than under a running faucet.
  13. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, or washing your face or hands.