If you don’t live in Texas, Arizona, or New Mexico, you may not realize how severe the drought situation is in the United States right now. But drought affects all of us—and we all need to be part of the solution to protect the water we have.

Did you know that 26.08% of the U.S. is currently experiencing drought conditions? This has a direct impact on our food supply. Right now, 127.4 million acres of major cropland are affected by drought. It doesn’t stop there—80.7 million people across 32 states are living under drought conditions.

And this isn’t just a U.S. problem. Much of Africa, parts of South America, and Australia are also facing severe drought.

Drought creates a domino effect. When water is scarce, priority is given to human use, leaving less available for crops and livestock. This leads ranchers to reduce the size of their herds and flocks, which drives up food prices. Farmers may even knock the blossoms off fruit and nut trees to save the trees themselves—eliminating that year’s crop entirely. That reduces food supply even further and causes prices to rise.

In some regions, states sell water to neighboring states. When drought hits, both regions may face water restrictions. These restrictions can even make it difficult for people to grow their own food at home.

It’s time to take action:

Store water now. Conserve water now.

With the hot summer months ahead and the rainy season behind us, conditions are likely to get worse—not better.

Laundry Room

  1. Use washing machine for full loads only.
  2. Install a water-efficient clothes washer. Save: 16 Gallons/Load
  3. Wash all clothes in cold water saving water and helping your clothes retain their color.

Kitchen

  1. Run the dishwasher only when full.
  2. Install a water- and energy-efficient dishwasher. Save: 3 to 8 Gallons/Load.
  3. When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run. Fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water. Dishwashers typically use less water than washing dishes by hand.
  4. Cut back on rinsing before loading the dishwasher. Get a good kitchen brush, fill a bowl with water and use the brush and water to clean off stuck on food.
  5. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scour them clean.
  6. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Instead, compost vegetable food waste and save gallons every day.
  7. Use a bowl in the kitchen sink so you use less water when washing dishes or vegetables. When you’re done, use the (cooled) water for your plants or garden, or rinse cans and bottles before recycling them.
  8. Don’t use running water to thaw food. Defrost food in the refrigerator, microwave or pan of hot water.
  9. Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running water each time you want a drink. You now have cold water also saving water because you don’t need ice to have a cold drink.
  10. Cover foods being cooked with only enough water to cover the uncooked items. Add more as needed. Cooking food in as little water as possible saves water and preserves nutrients.
  11. Select the proper pan size for cooking. Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary.
  12. If you accidentally drop ice cubes or if they are old, don’t throw them in the sink. Use them to water a houseplant.
  13. Never put water down the drain when there may be another use such as watering a plant or garden, or cleaning.
  14. When cooking, use water twice. Cook your pasta and it drain the water into another pot. Use this water to cook your veggies.
  15. Always use a lid on everything you cook. Don’t lose precious water to steam.
  16. Purchase an electric kettle to heat water for a drink, soup, or instant foods like ramen noodle cups. Pour the amount of water in the pot and bring it to a boil rather than letting the water run until it is hot.

Bathroom

  1. Install low-flow showerheads.
  2. Take five-minute showers instead of 10-minute showers.
  3. Fill the bathtub halfway or less.
  4. When running a bath, plug the bathtub before turning on the water. Adjust the temperature as the tub fills.
  5. Take a (short) shower instead of a bath. A bathtub can use up to 70 gallons of water.
  6. Use water left in tub to wash the dog, wash window blinds, or scoop out and water plants.
  7. Consider bathing small children together.
  8. Place five-gallon bucket in the shower to catch water while it warms up. Use it to water plants.
  9. Install a high-efficiency toilet or dual-flush toilet. It has two flush options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a full flush for solid waste.
  10. Place plastic bottle filled with water in the tank to reduce water used per flush. Do not use a brick.
  11. Don’t use the toilet to flush tissues.
  12. Be sure to test your toilet for leaks at least once a year. 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.
  13. Plug the sink instead of running the water to rinse your razor.
  14. Don’t let water run while shaving or washing your face. Brush your teeth while waiting for water to get hot; then wash or shave after filling the basin. If your water takes a long time to heat up place a wet washcloth on a space heater, when appropriate, to heat the towel and use it to wash your face.
  15. Turn off the water while washing your hair.
  16. When adjusting water temperatures, instead of turning water flow up, try turning it down. If the water is too hot, turn down the hot rather than turning up the cold.

Miscellaneous

  1. Check that your home is leak-free. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period during which you are certain that no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
  2. Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can waste 2,700 gallons per year.
  3. Insulate water pipes to reduce the time it takes for hot water to flow.
  4. Do not use water softeners. If you must then turn them off when away from home for more than a day.
  5. Check your pump. If you have a well at your home, listen to see if the pump kicks on and off while the water is not in use. If it does, you have a leak.
  6. Install aerators on all faucets and showerheads to reduce flow.
  7. Use cups with straws or reusable water bottles instead of glasses. Think about it. When you go to the sink to fill a glass or fill glasses for dinner do you drink all you have poured or do you pour what is left down the drain? With a covered cup or water bottle you can take the remaining water with you to drink later.

Saving Water Outdoors

  1. Use a timer when watering to avoid over watering.
  2. Don’t overwater your lawn. On average, lawns only need watering every 5 to 7 days in summer and every 10 to 14 days in winter. Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speeds are the lowest.
  3. Don’t water your street, driveway, or sidewalk. Be sure sprinklers water only lawns and shrubs…not paved areas.
  4. Install sprinklers that are the most appropriate for the job. Micro and drip irrigation and soaker hoses are water-efficient methods of irrigation.
  5. Regularly check sprinkler systems and timing devices to be sure they are operating properly.
  6. Raise the lawn mower blade to at least three inches. A lawn cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soil moisture better.
  7. Avoid over fertilizing. The application of fertilizers increases the need for water. The best fertilizers are slow-release, water-insoluble forms of nitrogen.
  8. Mulch around garden plants and around plants in containers. Mulching, 2-3 inches, helps retain moisture in the soil and control weeds that steal water from plants. Mulch doesn’t have to be expensive, use pebbles, gravel, chipped bark, grass clippings, leaves, even newspaper.
  9. Plant native and/or drought-tolerant grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees. Once established, they do not need to be watered as frequently and they usually will survive a dry period without any watering.
  10. Group plants together based on similar water needs.
  11. Water selectively; focus on more vulnerable or new plants, or ones with wilting leaves. Water directly using micro sprinklers or water by hand. Water after sunset or before sunrise and don’t forget to water the leaves as well as the roots. Leaves drink in water and keep foliage healthy.
  12. Water less often but for a longer period of time. Frequent watering encourages roots to stay near the surface instead of going deep down in search of water.
  13. Plant in the ground and avoid baskets and pots during a drought. These need watering much more often.
  14. Do not hose down your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom to clean leaves and other debris from these areas. Water brooms can use as little as 2.8 gallons per minute while a standard hose typically uses 5 to 20 gallons per minute.
  15. Use a nozzle on hoses that can be adjusted down to a fine spray so that water flows only as needed.
  16. Turn off water at the faucet instead of at the nozzle to avoid leaks.
  17. Replace hose washers between spigots and water hoses to eliminate leaks.
  18. Do not leave sprinklers or hoses unattended. Your garden hoses can pour out 600 gallons or more in only a few hours, so don’t leave the sprinkler running all day. Use a kitchen timer to remind yourself to turn it off.
  19. Check all hoses, connectors and spigots regularly.
  20. Consider using a commercial car wash that recycles water. If you wash your own car, park on the grass to do so.
  21. Avoid the installation of ornamental water features (such as fountains) unless the water is recycled.
  22. If you have a swimming pool, consider a new water-saving pool filter. A single back flushing with a traditional filter uses from 180 to 250 gallons or more of water.
  23. Keep pool covered when not in use to avoid evaporation.
  24. Collect and reuse rainwater (where legal).

The majority of these tips are free and simple to practice. Educate your family now helping them understand the importance of using water wisely.

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