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INDOOR TIPS KITCHEN 1. #1 There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you. 2. #2 When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run. Fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water. 3. #3 Dishwashers typically use less water than washing dishes by hand. Now, Energy Star dishwashers save even more water and energy. 4. #4 If your dishwasher is new, cut back on rinsing. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones. 5. #5 Designate one glass for your drinking water each day, or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash. 6. #6 Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean. 7. #7 Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons every time. 8. #8 Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap. 9. #9 Don’t use running water to thaw food. For water efficiency and food safety, defrost food in the refrigerator. 10. #10 Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink so you don’t have to run the water while it heats up. This also reduces energy costs. 11. #11 Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes down you and not the drain. 12. #12 Reuse leftover water from cooked or steamed foods to start a nutritious soup, it’s one more way to get eight glasses of water a day. 13. #13 Cook food in as little water as possible. This also helps it retain more nutrients. 14. #14 Select the proper pan size for cooking. Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary. 15. #15 If you accidentally drop ice cubes, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead. 16. #16 Collect the water you use while rinsing fruit and vegetables. Use it to water house plants. 17. #17 When shopping for a new dishwasher, use the Consortium for Energy Efficiency website to compare water use between models. ---PAGE BREAK--- LAUNDRY ROOM 1. #18 When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load. 2. #19 Washing dark clothes in cold water saves water and energy, and helps your clothes retain their color. 3. #20 When shopping for a new washing machine, compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some can save up to 20 gallons of water per load. 4. #21 When buying a washer, check the Consortium for Energy Efficiency website to compare water use between models. BATHROOM 1. #22 If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a WaterSense® labeled model. 2. #23 Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month. 3. #24 Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes. You’ll save up to 1,000 gallons per month. 4. #25 Toilet leaks can be silent! Be sure to test your toilet for leaks at least once a year. 5. #26 Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Fix it and start saving gallons. 6. #27 When running a bath, plug the bathtub before turning on the water. Adjust the temperature as the tub fills. 7. #28 Upgrade older toilets with water-saving WaterSense® labeled models. 8. #29 If your toilet flapper doesn’t close properly after flushing, replace it. 9. #30 Use a WaterSense® labeled showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month. 10. #31 Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save up to 4 gallons a minute. That’s up to 200 gallons a week for a family of four. 11. #32 If your toilet was installed before 1992, purchasing a WaterSense® labeled toilet can reduce the amount of water used for each flush. 12. #33 Consider buying a dual-flush toilet. It has two flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a full-flush for solid waste. 13. #34 Plug the sink instead of running the water to rinse your razor and save up to 300 gallons a month. 14. #35 Turn off the water while washing your hair and save up to 150 gallons a month. 15. #36 When washing your hands, turn the water off while you lather. 16. #37 Take 5-minute showers instead of baths. A full bathtub requires up to 70 gallons of water. 17. #38 Install water-saving aerators on all of your faucets. ---PAGE BREAK--- 18. #39 Drop tissues in the trash instead of flushing them and save water every time. 19. #40 Look for WaterSense® labeled toilets, sink faucets, urinals and showerheads. 20. #41 One drip every second adds up to five gallons per day! Check your faucets and showerheads for leaks. 21. #42 While you wait for hot water, collect the running water and use it to water plants. OUTDOOR TIPS LAWN CARE 1. #1 Hire a qualified pro to install your irrigation system and keep it working properly and efficiently. 2. #2 Hire a Smartscape Certified professional landscaper who has received landscape training specific to the Sonoran Desert. 3. #3 Adjust your lawn mower to the height of 1.5 to 2 inches. Taller grass shades roots and holds soil moisture better than short grass. 4. #4 Leave lawn clippings on your grass, this cools the ground and holds in moisture. 5. #5 If installing a lawn, select a lawn mix or blend that matches your climate and site conditions. 6. #6 Aerate your lawn periodically. Holes every six inches will allow water to reach the roots, rather than run off the surface. 7. #7 If walking across the lawn leaves footprints (blades don’t spring back up), then it is time to water. 8. #8 Let your lawn go dormant (brown) during the winter. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three to four weeks, less if it rains. 9. #9 Avoid overseeding your lawn with winter grass. Ryegrass needs water every few days, whereas Dormant Bermuda grass needs water 10. #10 Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light and water. 11. #11 While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed. 12. #12 Water your summer lawns once every three days and your winter lawn once every five days. 13. #13 Catch water in an empty tuna can to measure sprinkler output. 3/4 to 1 inch of water is enough to apply each time you irrigate. POOL 1. #14 Use a pool cover to help keep your pool clean, reduce chemical use and prevent water loss through evaporation. 2. #15 Make sure your swimming pools, fountains and ponds are equipped with recirculating pumps. 3. #16 If you have an automatic refilling device, check your pool periodically for leaks. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4. #17 When back-washing your pool, consider using the water on salt-tolerant plants in the landscape. 5. #18 Minimize or eliminate the use of waterfalls and sprays in your pool. Aeration increases evaporation. 6. #19 Don’t overfill the pool. Lower water levels will reduce water loss due to splashing. 7. #20 Keep water in the pool when playing, it will save water. 8. #21 Instead of building a private pool, join a community pool. 9. #22 Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those that spray water into the air. 10. #23 Use a grease pencil to conduct a bucket test to check for pool leaks. An unnatural water level drop may indicate a leak. GENERAL OUTDOOR 1. #24 Winterize outdoor spigots when temperatures dip below freezing to prevent pipes from leaking or bursting. 2. #25 For more immediate hot water and energy savings, insulate hot water pipes. 3. #26 Use a commercial car wash that recycles water. Or, wash your car on the lawn, and you’ll water your grass at the same time. 4. #27 Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car. You’ll save up to 100 gallons every time. 5. #28 Wash your pets outdoors, in an area of your lawn that needs water. 6. #29 When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your non- edible plants. 7. #30 When you give your pet fresh water, don’t throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs. 8. #31 Use a broom instead of a hose to clean patios, sidewalks and driveways, and save water every time. 9. #32 Evaporative coolers require a seasonal maintenance check. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually. 10. #33 If you have an evaporative cooler, direct the water drain to plants in your landscape. 11. #34 Set water softeners for a minimum number of refills to save both water and chemicals, plus energy, too. 12. #35 If you have an evaporative cooler, install a recirculating pump to keep water from bleeding off with one pass. 13. #36 Report broken pipes, leaky hydrants and errant sprinklers to property owners or your local water provider. 14. #37 Know where your master water shut-off valve is located. Were a pipe to burst, this could save gallons of water and prevent damage. 15. #38 Install a thermostat and timer on your evaporative cooler so it only operates when necessary.