Conservation Tips Indoors Check your property, inside and out, for leaks. Install water-saving fixtures in your home. Low-flow toilets and shower heads can save thousands of gallons per month. Take shorter showers. Long showers can use five to ten gallons of water per minute. Take baths. An average tub holds more than 50 gallons of water. A bath in a partially filled tub - about 5 inches is plenty - uses much less water. Turn off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth. This can save 3 to 7 gallons per minute. Just wet your brush or razor and fill a glass or basin for rinsing. Use your automatic dishwasher for full loads only. The washer uses the same amount of water whether it is full or empty, so be sure to fill it. If you wash your dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing. Use a basin of rinse water, and save 3 to 7 gallons per minute. Keep a pitcher or bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. Letting the water run until it cools down can waste 3 to 7 gallons per minute. Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket. Every time you flush a small bit of trash, you waste several gallons of water.   Outdoors Water your lawn only when it needs it. A good way to see if your lawn needs watering is to step on the grass. If it springs back up when you move, it doesn't need watering. Automatic timers are convenient, but can be wasteful if they are running unnecessarily! Mow higher than normal. Longer leaf surfaces promote deeper rooting and shade the root zone. Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade in one mowing. Return mulched clippings to the lawn. Check for leaks in pipes, hoses and faucets. Leaks outside the house can be as wasteful as leaks inside the house. Check for these leaks frequently to keep your house drip free. Look for standing water in the yard or under the house, which may indicate a leak in the water line underground. Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Mulch will slow evaporation of moisture and discourage weed growth, too. Clean off side walks using a broom. Sweeping the driveway and sidewalk will get them clean enough without wasting gallons of water. For more information about water conservation, contact SJWD at 864-439-4423.