How to Save Water at Home: 30 Easy Tips to Lower Your Water Bill

Water feels endless when it pours out of the tap at the twist of a handle. But every gallon costs money to clean, pump and (often) heat, and in many places water supplies are under real pressure from drought, heat and growing populations.

According to the EPA's WaterSense program, the average American family uses more than 300 gallons of water a day at home, with about 70% of that used indoors. The good news is that saving water doesn't mean cold, three-minute showers and a brown lawn. Most of the savings come from a few simple fixes and habits, and many of them lower your energy bill too.

Where does household water go?

According to the EPA, the biggest indoor water users in a typical home are:

• Toilets: nearly 30% of indoor water use, the single biggest category
• Showers
• Faucets
• Clothes washers
• Leaks

Outdoors, watering lawns and gardens can account for a huge share of use, especially in summer and in dry climates. The EPA estimates as much as 50% of water used outdoors is wasted through evaporation, wind or runoff from inefficient watering.

Start with leaks

Leaks are the sneakiest waste in most homes. According to WaterSense:

• The average household's leaks can waste nearly 10,000 gallons a year, enough to fill a backyard swimming pool
• Nationwide, household leaks waste nearly 1 trillion gallons a year
• A faucet dripping at one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year
• About 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more a day

1. Do the toilet dye test

Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Wait 10 minutes without flushing. If color shows up in the bowl, the flapper is probably leaking. A replacement flapper is cheap and usually easy to install.

2. Check your water meter

Read your water meter, then don't use any water for two hours. If the reading changed, you probably have a leak somewhere.

3. Fix dripping faucets and showerheads

Often it's a worn washer or O-ring, a cheap DIY fix.

4. Check outdoor hoses and sprinklers

Look for leaks at connections and replace worn washers.

5. Watch your winter bill

If your winter water use is well over 12,000 gallons a month for a family of four, you probably have a serious leak, according to the EPA.

Save water in the bathroom

6. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth

WaterSense estimates this can save up to 8 gallons a day, more than 200 gallons a month.

7. Turn off the tap while shaving

Fill the sink a little instead.

8. Take shorter showers

Cutting your shower by just a minute or two adds up. A waterproof timer or a playlist of two or three songs helps.

9. Install a WaterSense showerhead

Standard showerheads use 2.5 gallons per minute. WaterSense-labeled models use no more than 2 gallons per minute, and most people can't tell the difference. They save energy too, because you're heating less water.

10. Upgrade old toilets

Older toilets can use 3.5 gallons or more per flush, and some from the 1980s use far more. WaterSense toilets use 1.28 gallons or less. Replacing an old toilet can save a family thousands of gallons a year, and many water utilities offer rebates.

11. Don't use the toilet as a trash can

Every tissue or cotton pad flushed wastes gallons of water.

12. Add faucet aerators

Cheap screw-on aerators reduce flow without reducing pressure.

Shower vs. bath: which uses more water?

A full bath can use about 70 gallons. A five-minute shower with a standard showerhead uses roughly 12 gallons, or about 10 with a WaterSense showerhead. So for most people, a short shower uses far less water than a bath. But a long, 20-minute shower can catch up with a bath, so watch the clock.

Save water in the kitchen

13. Run the dishwasher only when full

Modern dishwashers often use less water than washing by hand, especially ENERGY STAR models.

14. Scrape, don't pre-rinse

Most modern dishwashers don't need pre-rinsing. Scrape food into the trash or compost instead.

15. Keep a jug of water in the fridge

No more running the tap until it's cold.

16. Thaw food in the fridge

Not under running water.

17. Wash produce in a bowl

Then reuse the water for houseplants.

18. Reuse cooking water

Cooled pasta or vegetable water is great for watering plants.

19. Hand wash smart

If you wash dishes by hand, fill one basin with soapy water and one with rinse water instead of letting the tap run.

Save water in the laundry

20. Wash full loads

Or adjust the water level for smaller loads.

21. Choose an efficient washer

ENERGY STAR-certified washers use significantly less water and energy than standard models.

22. Wash in cold water

It doesn't save water, but it saves a lot of energy, because most of a washer's energy goes into heating water.

Save water outdoors

23. Water early in the morning

Less water evaporates when it's cool and calm.

24. Water deeply but less often

This encourages deeper, more drought-resistant roots.

25. Use mulch

A few inches of mulch around plants keeps soil moist and cool.

26. Choose native or drought-tolerant plants

They need much less water once established. Consider replacing some lawn with native plants, which also helps pollinators. See gardening and wellbeing.

27. Use a smart irrigation controller

WaterSense-labeled controllers adjust watering based on the weather.

28. Sweep, don't hose

Use a broom for driveways, sidewalks and patios.

29. Collect rainwater

A rain barrel can collect water for the garden, where allowed.

30. Wash the car smart

Use a bucket and a hose with a shut-off nozzle, or a commercial car wash that recycles water.

See where your water goes

Look at your water bill for the past year. If summer use is much higher than winter, outdoor watering is your biggest opportunity. If it's high all year, check for leaks and look at indoor habits.

Saving water saves energy too

Heating water is one of the biggest energy uses in most homes. Every gallon of hot water you save means less energy used by your water heater, which lowers your bills and your carbon footprint.

Water-saving myths

• "Hand washing dishes saves more water than a dishwasher." Usually the opposite with a modern, full dishwasher.
• "Small drips don't matter." One drip per second adds up to thousands of gallons a year.
• "Bricks in the toilet tank are a good idea." Bricks can crumble and damage the toilet. A filled plastic bottle is safer if you want to try it, but a new efficient toilet or flapper fix is better.
• "Lawns need watering every day." Most established lawns do better with deep watering once or twice a week.
• "Bottled water is more eco-friendly." Producing and transporting bottled water uses far more resources than tap water.

Drought and water restrictions

In many regions, especially in the western US, drought and water restrictions are becoming more common. Check your local water utility's website for watering schedules, rebates and conservation programs. Many offer rebates for efficient toilets, smart irrigation controllers and replacing lawn with native plants. Even if you live somewhere with plenty of water, conserving it reduces the energy used to treat and pump it, which is good for the planet everywhere.

Get the whole household involved

Make it a game for kids: who can take the shortest shower, or do the toilet dye test together. Many utilities offer free water-saving kits with aerators and leak-detection tablets, and some offer rebates for efficient fixtures.

Frequently asked questions about saving water

What uses the most water in a home?

Toilets are the biggest indoor water user, at nearly 30% of indoor use, according to the EPA. Outdoor watering can be the biggest overall user in summer.

Does a dishwasher use less water than hand washing?

Often, yes. Modern efficient dishwashers can use as little as 3 to 4 gallons per load, while hand washing can use far more if the tap runs.

How can renters save water?

Renters can still make a big difference: report leaks to your landlord quickly, add faucet aerators and a WaterSense showerhead (keep the old one to reinstall when you move), take shorter showers and run full loads of laundry and dishes.

Do low-flow showerheads feel weak?

Modern WaterSense showerheads are designed and tested to give a satisfying spray. Many people don't notice a difference.

Is it better to water the lawn at night?

Early morning is best. Watering at night can leave grass wet for hours, which encourages fungal disease.

How much water does a leaky toilet waste?

A silent toilet leak can waste hundreds of gallons a day in severe cases.

Fixed a leak? Celebrate with our free wellness wheel quiz. It takes less time than a shower.