Everyday Water Saving Tips

For a tour of your home to investigate water saving opportunities, visit www.h2ouse.net. You will get facts and specific advice for every room. You can also visit the Garden Guide to learn about water conserving gardens.

We'd like to hear about any strategies that you adopt for using water wisely at your home.

Keep Water Clean

What you can do to prevent water pollution:

Fertilizer

• Sweep and collect any fertilizer from driveways and walkways.
• Avoid overusing fertilizers. Contact Cooperative Extension for assistance in learning correct amounts.
• Donate unwanted fertilizer to someone who can use it up.

Motor Oil

• Repair any leaks in your vehicle.
• Properly dispose of motor oil. Each year do-it-yourself motor oil changers improperly dispose of millions of gallons of used motor oil.

Paint

• Don't rinse painting equipment where the water can run into storm drains.
• Donate usable paint to a friend or a community group.
• If the paint is unusable or more than 10 years old, save it for a household hazardous waste collection.

Pesticides

• Minimize the use of pesticides. Contact Cooperative Extension to learn about Integrated Pest Management.
• Use the right pesticide for the right job.
• Follow label directions very carefully.
• Don't rinse pesticide application equipment where the water will run into a storm drain.

Pet Waste

• Pet waste is raw sewage. Dispose of it by flushing down the toilet or by burying it away from food-growing locations.

Street Litter and Plastics

• Don't throw garbage into the street or down storm drains.
• Put cigarette butts, fast food containers and other garbage into proper containers.
• Keep your property free of garbage and ask your family, friends and neighbors to do the same.

Yard Wastes

• Leaves and grass clippings can clog storm drains and cause flooding. Don't allow soil, leaves or grass clippings to accumulate on your driveway, sidewalk, or in the street.
• Collect leaves and grass clippings and compost them.
• If you wash your car at home, wash it in a grassy area.

Medications

• Don't flush prescription or over-the-counter medications down the toilet. Double-bag them and put them in the garbage.

Conserving clean water includes simple solutions so start doing your part today.