Operate washing machines and dishwashers only when full, and ensure they are set to the correct water settings.
Don't leave sprinklers or hoses unattended, and don't leave the sprinkler running all day - use a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn it off.
Make sure the taps and the toilets in your bathroom are as efficient as they can be.
On your designated watering days, water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest, which reduces losses from evaporation.
Reuse indoor water - water you've used for washing dishes or veggies - for your outdoor gardens.
An established lawn on 15 to 20 cm of topsoil does not require watering throughout the
summer. In times of low natural rainfall, grass will naturally go dormant and may turn
brown, but this doesn't mean the lawn is damaged; it's just an aesthetics issue. So don't worry! When it rains again, the grass will become green.
Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects, and other similar waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
Ensure that water is not being wasted in your landscaping work.
Keep buckets outdoors to collect rainwater. You can purchase rain barrels for this specifically, or just make use of buckets and storage containers that you already have.
Take shorter showers and replace your shower head with a low-flow version, which can cut water use in half.
Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator rather than running tap water until it is cool enough to drink.
Plan ahead and thaw meat in the refrigerator overnight, rather than using running water to thaw it.
If washing dishes, scrape food into the garbage rather than rinsing it off.
On the Avalon Peninsula, a mature tree does not require watering at any time of the year.
Plug the drain while showering and use the saved water outdoors, or use your dishwater to water your plants. Plants love this kind of water!
Using a running hose to wash your vehicle can waste about 400 litres of water. Using a bucket with a sponge plus a trigger nozzle on the hose will save you about 300 of those litres.
Flowerbeds with well-established perennials require watering in drought conditions only.
Use low-angle or pulsating sprinklers that produce large fat droplets of water. Sprinklers that spray the water high into the air or produce a mist or fine spray lose much of the water through evaporation.
Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving. (We know, we know, you've heard this a thousand times before - it can really make a difference.)
Soak pots and pans before washing. When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water.
Report leaks or water waste to facility managers or maintenance personnel immediately, and follow up on the repair status to make sure they're fixed promptly.
Reuse your drinking glass without washing it.
Position your sprinklers so that your water lands on the lawn and shrubs, not pavement - your street, driveway, or sidewalk.
Use mulch to retain moisture in the soil. This also helps to control weeds that compete with plants for water.