Save Water Indoors 

Reducing your indoor water use doesn’t need to be hard. You can achieve it through a combination of installing high-efficiency devices and making some simple changes in your habits. 

Here are 5 ways you can save water indoors: 

1. Check for leaks. The average household leak can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year! Sign up for WaterSmart to set up leak alerts and track personal usage.  
2. Install high-efficiency toilets, washing machines, faucets, and shower heads.  Find rebates here. 
3. Repair dripping faucets. 
4. Bathe smarter.  Take shorter showers and don’t fill your bathtub all the way.  
5. Run full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher. Doing so saves you up to 1,000 gallons of water per month.  

Save Water Outdoors

Nearly 70% of the water we serve is used outdoors, primarily for landscaping and irrigation. It's possible for you to reduce your outdoor water use AND keep your yard beautiful at the same time! 

Here are 10 things you can do to save water outdoors: 

1. Transform your lawn to a more sustainable garden. Find everything you need to transform your yard today, including rebates, here.   
2. Irrigate wisely: either before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. to minimize water loss from evaporation. 
3. Capture rainfall with a rain barrel or cistern to reuse for irrigating your trees, gardens, and lawns. See what rebates are available. 
4. Use compost (1-2 inches) or mulch (2-3 inches) to help soil retain moisture for lawns, gardens, and trees. We offer free compost to the Las Virgenes community at our Rancho Las Virgenes Composting Facility, 3700 Las Virgenes Rd.  Click here for more details. 
5. Make the switch to a Weather Based Irrigation Controller (WBIC) for water-efficient irrigation scheduling.  
6. Use the right tools: consider water-efficient rotary nozzles and/or drip irrigation system. Check out our Irrigation Retrofit Program for more information. 
7. Cover your pool to reduce water loss due to evaporation. 
8. Use a trigger nozzle on your hose to wash your cars. 
9. Let your grass grow at least three inches in length before cutting it. This helps with shading the soil, encouraging deeper roots, and reducing evaporation.   
10. Don’t water your sidewalk: reduce urban runoff (excess water escaping from your yard) by adjusting your sprinklers to only hit your yard, and by reducing watering times, especially in hilly areas. 

Caring for Trees 

Keeping your trees healthy and strong is another great way to reduce your outdoor water usage and have a more sustainable yard.  

Trees also help reduce runoff, support wildlife, and provide shade and beauty for your home.   

A few tips for caring for your trees in our climate:  

1. Water the drip line of trees to target feeder roots.
   1. For newly planted trees: use slow methods like a bucket with a small hole. 
   2. For mature trees: use a soaker hose around the drip line. 
2. Use non-potable water for trees - the same as lawns and gardens.   
3. Use wood chips or other organic material to keep soil cool and moist. Fresh mulch can prevent weeds from growing. 

Check for Leaks

Common household leaks often go unnoticed, but they can add fast and waste thousands of gallons of water each year if not fixed quickly. Fortunately, most of these leaks can be fixed easily and inexpensively.  

Common Types of Leaks 

Toilets – Worn flappers or faulty floats are usually the culprits for toilet leaks. You can easily test your toilets by placing a little food coloring in the tank. If any color shows up in your bowl after 10 minutes, you have a leak.  

Faucets and Showerheads – Don’t let a dripping faucet fool you. Even small leaks can add up to over 20,000 gallons of water lost each month. If you see your faucet dripping, get it fixed or replaced as soon as you can - your wallet will thank you! 

Irrigation Systems – Broken sprinkler heads are common and sometimes go unnoticed, particularly if your irrigation system runs while you’re asleep. Keep an eye out for excessive runoff as an indication of a broken sprinkler head. Also, periodically check your system by turning it on manually to make sure things are working properly.  

Pools – Many pools have an automatic refill system that keeps your pool level constant when water is lost to evaporation. These systems can potentially get stuck, and you may miss it. Check your overflow outlet periodically to make sure you’re not losing water - or money down the drain!