Green Tips: Conserving Water at Home

Freshwater is a finite resource, stored in water bodies, the ground, and as ice around the globe. Most New Yorkers get their freshwater from surface water bodies, and the rest (mostly in Nassau & Suffolk counties) get their water from the ground. All water sources rely on the hydrological cycle to replenish freshwater supplies typically through precipitation and snowmelt. Given the recent drought alert for multiple regions across the state, freshwater sources are under threat. To ensure enough freshwater for all New Yorkers, we need to reduce our water use at home. Check out this week’s Green Tips for conserving water around the house: 

Conserving Water at Home

Public water supply accounts for a large portion of water use—over 2 billion gallons—every day, and this figure is expected to rise. Given the drought, now is a great opportunity to try new ways to reduce water use at home and conserve our limited freshwater supply. Check out some of our tips:

Indoors

• Fix any leaks around your home.
• Learn how to read your water meter in order to detect leaks.
• Aerate your faucets or use a WaterSense labeled faucet accessory.
• Reduce your shower time. Taking 2 minutes off your shower can save up to 10 gallons of water. You can even create a shower playlist to keep track of time, as songs are often ~3 minutes long.
• Turn off the shower when soaping up or shaving.
• Turn off your faucet while brushing your teeth. This can preserve nearly 200 gallons of water per month! 
• Upgrade to water-saving appliances. 
• Install a toilet tank bank.
• Keep a jug of water in the fridge to avoid running the tap waiting for it to get cold.
• If you have a dishwasher or laundry machine, only run it with a full load.

Outdoors

• Use low-maintenance native plants that are adjusted to the regional precipitation trends and need minimal watering beyond normal rainfall. 
• Check the weather before turning on your sprinklers or watering the garden.
• Water your garden with a water can instead of with an automatic irrigation system or hose. 
• Water your lawn or garden in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation.
• Set up a rain barrel and avoid using the tap to water plants.
• Sweep your driveway and sidewalk rather than spraying it down with a hose.

We hope you found this week’s Green Tips helpful. Thank you for doing your part to conserve New York State’s water!

If you live on Long Island, take the pledge to conserve and protect Long Island’s water. Join your fellow Long Islanders in the movement today!