Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, small changes inside and outside your home can have a big impact on your annual water use. These quick tips will help you get started today. Remember, it’s up to each of us to do our part to use water wisely and preserve our water reserves for future generations.
Indoors
- Stop Running Water. Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth and shaving. Doing so will save up to 2.5 gallons per minute.
- Limit your Showers to 5 Minutes. Spend only 5 minutes in the shower and save up to 8 gallons each time.
- Scrape Before Washing. Scrape your dishes instead of using your kitchen faucet to wash food off your plates.
- Fix The Drips. A leaky faucet can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. Find and fix plumbing leaks immediately. Remember, Santa Ana’s Level 2 Water Conservation Contingency Plan requires leaks to be repaired within 48 hours of notification by the City.
- Buy Efficient Appliances. Premium high efficiency toilets use 20% less water. Rebates start at $40. High-efficiency clothes washers use 55% less water and can save up to 11,000 gallons per year. Rebates start at $85.
- Control The Flow. Install a water efficient shower head that uses no more than two gallons per minute and save up to 2,700 gallons per year. Install an aerator to your kitchen faucet and save 1.5 gallons per minute.
- Stop The Running. A continuously running or leaking toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day. Replacing old or worn-out toilet flappers (e.g., valve seal) that cause leaks can be a quick and easy fix to save water.
- Wash Full Loads Only. Washing only full loads of laundry and dishes can save 15-50 gallons per load.
Outdoors
- Put down the Hose. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and sidewalks and save 100 gallons each time. Use a bucket and soapy sponge instead of a hose to wash your car and save up to 100 gallons of water each wash.
- Don’t Over-Water. You should only be watering outdoors 2 days a week according to Santa Ana’s Level 2 Water Conservation Contingency Plan. Eliminating just one watering day can save 500 gallons a week or more!
- Choose the Right Time. You should only be watering outdoors between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sticking to these hours reduces evaporation and saves up to 5 gallons each time you water.
- Mulch. Surround your plant with mulch and reduce water evaporation by protecting soil surface from direct sunlight.
- Maintain Your System. Check your sprinkler system for leaks, overspray and broken sprinkler heads and save up to 500 gallons per week.
- Control What You Need. Install a smart sprinkler controller that adjusts watering based on weather, soil type and amount of shade, and save 40 gallons a day.
- Capture Rain. Collect and reuse rainwater for your lawn or garden with a rain barrel or cistern. Rebates start at $35 per barrel or $250 per cistern.
- Go Native. California Friendly® and OC native plants are naturally drought tolerant and use up to 85% less water per year than a traditional lawn. See the article on page 22 for more information and inspiration.
For more about water conservation, visit www.santa-ana.org/water-conservation.
Take The Pledge & Win
There’s no better way to show your commitment to water conservation than to take a pledge! When you do, you’ll receive a gift from us by following these simple steps:
- Print and fill out this pledge.
- Attend one of the community events listed below.
- Hand in your pledge at the Water Resources Division booth.
- You’ll have a choice of one of our VIP giveaways.*
* Limited to one per family.
“Our community has a long history of environmental stewardship. We are proud of our community’s conservation efforts, which have made a significant impact on our water consumption. While Santa Ana is not directly impacted by current water shortages faced by other areas of California, we want to actively engage Santa Ana residents and businesses to continue saving water, protect our local water reserves and help build a more sustainable future for us all.”
In The Community
Be sure to visit the Water Resources Division booth at these community events for more information about ways you can use water efficiently and help conserve our precious resource!
We are planning to be at more events in the near future. Please check out our webpage at www.santa-ana.org/departments/public-works for updates!
