The average American home consumes about 146,000 gallons of water each year, mostly inside the home. Scientists are predicting water shortages in thirty-six states by the year 2013. However, analysts say it’s not all bleak and there’s a lot the nation can do to save about 3 trillion gallons of water each year.

A few simple changes to household water use can go a long way toward conserving water. The payoff for consumers is significant energy cost savings. Saving water means saving money, in lower water bills plus the cost of heating the water.

10 ways for homeowners to save water and money

1. stop leaks — Studies have shown that leaky home appliances and systems account for ten percent of water use in the average home. Check appliances, plumbing fixtures, and irrigation systems for leaks. Test for leaks by turning off all fixtures and reading your water meter. Keep all the water out for an hour and check again. The reading should not have changed. If so, it means you have a leak. You can test your toilet by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank and waiting ten minutes. Check the water in the bowl; If the dye has gotten into the bowl, your toilet has a leak and needs repair. The typical home in the country costs about $250 a year for water leaks.
2. Install low-flow showerheads — Pre-1992 showerheads deliver water at 8 gallons per minute (GPM). Newer models of low-flow showerheads use 1.6 to 1.85 GPM and save in two ways: 45,000 fewer gallons of water per family of four each year, plus the cost of energy to heat the water , is estimated at an annual savings of 92 dollars.
3. Replace old toilets — Toilets manufactured before 1994 use at least 3.5 gallons of water per flush (GPF). Newer ultra-low flush toilets use 1.6 GPF, which is the current federal standard for all new toilet installations. Prices start at $100, and these toilets typically pay for themselves in four years. Homeowners save approximately $28 per year with a low-flush toilet.
4. Replace old clothes washer — New Watersense and Energy Star-qualified washers use an average of 40% less water than traditional washers. By limiting your laundry to two full loads per week, you’ll save more than 6,400 gallons of water per year.
5. turn off the taps — When you brush your teeth for two minutes and let the water run, you’re using two gallons of water, morning and night, plus when shaving. The average household wastes more than 16,000 gallons of water a year in this way.
6. Use a car wash — Every time you wash your car with a hose, up to ten gallons of water per minute is wasted. Washing your car at a commercial car wash saves nearly 10,000 gallons of water per year, plus the water at these stations is recycled.
7. sprinkle less — Rain sensors and sprinkler clocks reduce water use by approximately 15 percent. Most of the water is wasted just before and after the rainy season, when intermittent rains occur and irrigation systems run steadily. Shutoff devices save thousands of gallons of water per month in every home. An irrigation controller also saves water by watering plants only when they need it. If you water manually, placing sprinklers around your yard, set a timer to remind you to turn off the sprinklers and not waste while overwatering.
8. Sweep more, hose less — Using a broom for ten minutes before relying on water pressure from a hose or power washer to clean driveways, sidewalks, patios and decks saves 1,000 gallons of water each week.
9. Cool — Kitchen faucets flow at a rate of over a gallon per minute while you wait for the water to get cold enough to drink. Keeping a jug of water in the refrigerator eliminates this waste, saving at least a thousand gallons of water per year for each person in your home.
10. GoNative — Plants native to your area use less water and are less prone to disease. Drought-hardy shrubs are beautiful replacements for perennial flowering shrubs that require large amounts of water. Familiarize yourself with the principles of “Xeriscape,” a government program that shows how to create a beautiful landscape with a low-maintenance, drought-resistant garden plan.

Water conservation is a state of mind, a way of thinking about our lives and our homes. It only takes a little effort to make a big difference, realize savings, and gain the satisfaction that we’re making ‘every drop count’.