50 Ways to Save Water | City of Newport Beach (2024)

There are a number of ways to save water and they all start with you! Try to incorporate at least one water saving tip per day and save water and money too!

When in the Kitchen:

1. When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run. Fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water.
2. Dishwashers typically use less water than washing dishes by hand. Energy Star dishwashers save even more water and energy.
3. If your dishwasher is new, cut back on using the extra rinse feature. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.
4. 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.
5. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.
6. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Try composting vegetable food waste and save gallons every time.
7. Wash your fruits and vegetables in a pan of water instead of running water from the tap.
8. Don’t use running water to thaw food. For water efficiency and food safety, defrost food in the refrigerator.
9. Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes to you and not the drain.
10. Reuse leftover water from cooked or steamed foods to start a nutritious soup. it’s just another way to get eight glasses of water a day.
11. Cook food in as little water as possible. This also helps it retain more nutrients.
12. Select the proper pan size for cooking. Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary.
13. If you accidentally drop ice cubes, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead

When doing Laundry:

1. Match the water level to the size of the load.
2. Washing dark clothes in cold water saves water and energy, and helps your clothes retain their color.
3. 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. Be sure to reuse your towels, whether at home or while staying in a hotel.
5. Run your washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.

When using the Bathroom:

1. If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a WaterSense® labeled model.
2. If you shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month.
3. While you are at it, try to keep your shower under 5 minutes. You’ll save up to 1,000 gallons per month.
4. Toilet leaks can be silent! Be sure to test your toilet for leaks at least once a year by putting food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Fix it and start saving gallons.
5. When running a bath, plug the bathtub before turning on the water. Adjust the temperature as the tub fills.
6. If your toilet flapper doesn’t close properly after flushing, replace it.
7. Use a WaterSense® labeled showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you up to 750 gallons a month.
8. 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.
9. If your toilet was installed before 1992, purchasing a WaterSense® labeled toilet can reduce the amount of water used for each flush.
10. Consider buying a dual-flush toilet. It has two flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a full-flush for solid waste.
11. Plug the sink instead of running the water to rinse your razor and save up to 300 gallons a month.
12. Turn off the water while washing your hair and save up to 150 gallons a month.
13. Take 5-minute showers instead of baths. A full bathtub requires up to 70 gallons of water.
14. Drop tissues in the trash instead of flushing them and save water every time.
15. One drip every second adds up to five gallons per day! Check your faucets and showerheads for leaks.
16. While you wait for hot water, collect the running water and use it to water plants.
17. Teach children to turn off faucets tightly after each use.
18. Turn off the water while you soap up your hands, every gallon counts!

When Gardening:

1. Choose the right California-friendly plants and watch them thrive in our desert environment.
2. Start a compost pile. Using compost in your garden or flower beds adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.
3. Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants helps them retain moisture, saving water, time and money.
4. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low-water-use plant and save up to 550 gallons each year.
5. Leave lawn clippings on your grass, this cools the ground and holds in moisture.
6. Aerate your lawn periodically. Holes every six inches will allow water to reach the roots, rather than run off the surface.
7. Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light and water.
8. While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.

Other Ways to Deal with the Drought:

1. Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.
2. Avoid recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
3. Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It’s simple, inexpensive and you can save 140 gallons a week.
4. Be a leak detective! We’re more likely to notice leaky faucets indoors, but don’t forget to check outdoor faucets, pipesand hoses.
5. See a leak you can’t fix? Tell a parent, teacher, employer, property manager or call a handyman.
6. Collect water from your roof by installing gutters and downspouts. Direct the runoff to plants and trees.