Indoor

1. Many homes have hidden leaks. To verify that a house is leak free, take an initial reading from your water meter and a final reading at the end of an hour. Ensure that all water using devices are not turned on or flushed during this study. If the meter has moved within this hour, there is a leak in the house.

2. Retrofit all faucet fixtures with aerators containing flow restrictors to slow the flow of water.
3. Install a low flow toilet. Older toilets use 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. Newer low flow models use 1.6 gallons per flush.
4. A front load washing machine uses 1/3 less water than a top loading machine.

5. Take a 5 minute shower with a low flow shower head. Low flow shower heads use 2.5 gallons per minute compared to a typical 5 to 7 gallons per minute. In other words, a 5 minute shower will use 12.5 gallons of water rather than 25 - 35 gallons.

For many water saving tips and rebates (washing machines, low flow toilets, shower heads, etc.) see the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) website.

Outdoor

1. Plant drought resistant and native plants.
2. Use rain barrels to capture water from a rain storm. 1000 square feet of roof can capture 420 gallons of water from 1 inch of rainfall. This captured water can be delivered efficiently to your garden over a period of time.
3. Consider drip irrigation systems that allow water to slowly and efficiently reach the roots of plants, shrubs, and trees.
4. Water your lawn or plants in the morning or evening. Evaporation of water increases as it becomes warmer and/or windier.
5. Mowing your lawn puts the grass under stress which requires more watering.

For xeriscaping needs,see the ABCWUA Xeriscape page.

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