• Install water efficient shower and faucet heads.
• Avoid using the toilet as a trash can.
• Use water sparingly in the shower, turn it off when lathering.
• Use only as much water as necessary in the tub, and plug the drain before turning on the water.
• Avoid letting the water run while shaving, brushing your teeth and washing your face.
• Check the toilet for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If, without flushing, the colour appears in the bowl, you know you have a leak that needs to be fixed.
• Place plastic bottles filled with sand in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used in each flush. Keep the bottle away from the operating mechanism. (Do not use bricks, which disintegrate after a while and damage the operating mechanism.)
• Check faucets and pipes for leaks. Even a small leak can waste thousands of litres per month.

In the Kitchen and Laundry Room: 

• Avoid using running water to thaw food.
• Keep a container of water in the fridge to avoid running water for a cold drink.
• Maintain your dishwasher and washing machine as recommended by the manufacturer, and always wash full loads.
• When washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running continuously for rinsing. Fill one side of the sink with clean water for rinsing, or put the washed dishes in a rack and rinse them all at once with a spray attachment or a pot of water.
• Wash vegetables and fruit with a vegetable brush and a basin of water rather than under running water.
• Reuse water that vegetables are washed in for watering houseplants or for cleaning.
• Reduce the use of the garbage disposal, which requires a lot of water to operate. An alternative way to dispose of your vegetable and fruit scraps is composting.
• Install flow restrictors in faucet
• When handwashing, put a stopper in the sink

• Delay regular lawn watering in the early spring and you will encourage deeper rooting, have a healthier lawn, and cut down on mowing.
• Avoid excessive watering. Most lawns need only an inch of water per week to stay healthy. Use a shallow can to measure this amount.
• Water your lawn only when it needs it. Step on the grass, if it springs back the lawn does not need to be watered.
• Water in the evening or early in the morning to reduce evaporation and avoid burning your grass.
• Set sprinklers carefully to avoid pavement.
• Aerate the soil in the spring and fall to reduce runoff.
• Plant water efficient grasses, plants, trees and shrubs.
• Use mulch around your plants to help the soil retain moisture and reduce the growth of weeds.
• Avoid using your hose to clean areas that could be swept with a broom.
• When washing vehicles, run the water only to wet and rinse. Use a container to hold the water used for washing.
• Collect rain water in a barrel and use it to water your gardens.
• Listen to the weather forecast. Avoid watering when it is going to rain.
• Set the kitchen timer for 15-20 minutes when you begin to water. It will remind you when it is time to move it to another area.
• Reduce the size of your lawn. Plant drought resistant ground cover in areas that don’t get a lot of use.
• Adjust your mower to a higher setting. The longer grass will shade itself, thus fighting off heat and holding moisture longer.
• Do not water on windy days. This prevents water from being blown to places other than your lawn.