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Conserving water can go a long way towards reducing your bills. Now might be a good time to adjust your habits, whether it be your morning routine or approach to yard work. Here are some things you can do around the house now to reduce your water usage and potentially reduce your bill.

Rethinking Your Routine

Bathing, skincare, and brushing your teeth use water. We all know hygiene is important, but taking a little care to save at the faucet can lead to savings over time.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or lathering your hands with soap, and only turn the faucet on when it’s time to rinse. If you can take a shower, do so, since it uses less water than a bath. Again, close the faucet while you are lathering up or conditioning your hair.

In the KitchenIf you’ve been following tips to reduce electricity, then you probably know to run the dishwasher or washing machine when you have full loads. You can adopt a few more hacks in the kitchen that may save water.

Minimize using the sink’s garbage disposal, as this device requires running water (and electricity!) to work effectively. Instead, any vegetable or fruit peelings can also be used to start a compost heap that can feed your lawn or garden.

If you use tap water to thaw frozen food, try rethinking your meal prep. You can save water by moving frozen goods to your refrigerator to thaw overnight. It might take longer, but it can save gallons of water.

Your Lawn and You

A lush lawn does much to improve your home’s curbside appeal. On the other hand, investing too much in your yard can cost you. Prevent overwatering to save money on your bills while keeping your grass green.

First, assess your yard’s irrigation system. If you see a lot of runoff flowing into the sidewalks and road, then you are essentially throwing water directly into the sewers. Inspect your sprinkler heads and make sure the water you do use is going where it needs to be.

It may be worth it to mow the lawn less often. Letting your grass grow a bit allows the blades to create a shade cover for the soil to retain moisture. When it’s time to cut the grass, use a mower with a mulching insert, as the clippings can be repurposed to feed the lawn.

Spot Check for Repairs and Consider Upgrades

Leaks contribute to a lot of wasted water within a billing cycle, which adds up over successive months. Inspect your plumbing periodically for leaky faucets or pipes, and repair them as quickly as possible.

Toilets can leak too. If you hear a whistling sound from your toilet long after flushing, then you have a leak in the tank. Address any issues in the float assembly.

If you have any savings to spare from your emergency or sinking funds, consider making some minor upgrades to your plumbing fixtures. You can replace your showerhead with a low-flow configuration, and faucets can be equipped with aerators to conserve water.

As you can see, you can do many little things now that can conserve water and reduce your usage bill. While the changes you make may feel like a trickle now, maintaining good habits can eventually form a pool of savings.