It’s been a rough winter in some areas of the US and not just because of the pandemic. Low rainfall and snowpack across much of the Western part of the country has led to almost half of the US being mapped in Severe to Exceptional drought conditions. And it’s only April.

We can all do our part though and there are a lot of simple ways to start conserving water today!

Collect some data:

Learn where your water comes from and goes, what stream/river/reservoir feeds into your tap?
Calculate your water footprint and assess what areas you could conserve in. Can you turn off the faucet while you brush your teeth? Can you wear your pants another day before being washed? Can you wash your hair one less time per week? Can you stick to the mellow yellow rule?
Monitor your daily usage by measuring your water meter at the same time every day for a week. Compare the daily differences. What created the variable in usage between days?

The average person only needs 5 liters of water per day for drinking and cooking, but did you know that the average American Family uses over 300 gallons per day at home? That’s a lot of extra water being used.

Here are 3 of our favorite fast fixes for immediately reducing our water consumption.

1.Create a shower challenge:

In your household whoever times in with the least amount of shower minutes per week gets a reward! Maybe it’s choosing the location of your next hike, paddle, or family activity, or simply getting the right to control the remote on movie night!

2. Collect excess water

a. Grab a yogurt container and put it under your bathroom sink.

b. Collect excess water and dump it into a larger bucket.

c. When the bucket is full empty it onto your plants!

d. Collect all water from your kitchen sink in a tub-preferably with handles. It’s amazing how much water you can use just by washing your hands and dishes. Be sure to use biodegradable soap to keep your plants happy!