A few years ago, the Texas Living Waters Project (TLWP) reported that Texas water utilities must “substantially increase” water conservation efforts. The report that led them to this conclusion collected details on the water usage of over 300 Texas cities. The goal of their report was to find where certain cities were lacking and how they could improve. Ultimately, the TLWP found that, while some water loss is inevitable, there’s plenty our cities could do to reduce it.

Long story short: water conservation is critical in Texas on state, city, and individual levels. We can all do our part on our individual levels. Homeowners like you can’t help with leaking pipelines, but you can practice better water habits within your home. We’ve listed the three easiest and most effective ways Dallas homeowners can conserve water below.

Water Thoughtfully

Texas is… a dry place. We understand that sometimes you can’t avoid the need to water your lawn or your plants. What you can avoid is wasting a lot of water while doing it. First: consider manually watering your plants, instead of using a sprinkler or irrigation system. Water in the early morning, so the heat can’t evaporate water before the ground absorbs it.

You should also only water when you absolutely have to. A good general rule is water up to one inch, once per week. Watch your grass and only water when it starts to wilt. If you use sprinklers, you should switch to newer water-efficient controllers. These will help you save thousands of gallons of irrigation water yearly.

Switch to WaterSense appliances.

The Environmental Protection Agency awards its WaterSense label to appliances that meet their specific guidelines for water-efficiency. To receive the label, a fixture must be more than 20 percent more water-efficient than its average counterparts.

They also need to produce water savings on a national level, provide measurable water savings, and use modern technology to achieve their efficiency. If you’re planning on buying a new water appliance or fixture, get one with the WaterSense label. You’ll save water and money at the same time!

Watch the Water You Use

The easiest way to conserve water is to just think. Think about the water you use, and take small steps to use a little less every day. It doesn’t take much to make a surprising difference.

Turn the tap off while you’re brushing your teeth. Take shorter showers. Save pasta water and use it to water your plants. A little bit goes a long way!

Water scarcity isn’t your fault, and water conservation isn’t your responsibility alone. If we want to conserve the water we have left, we’ll all have to do our part. If you want to learn more about Texas water conservation, look into the Texas Living Water Project or support Dallas Water Utilities. Thank you for helping make Dallas better for everyone!

If you want to know how to make your plumbing more water-efficient, give Ben Franklin Plumbing a call anytime. We’re always proud to do our part–for water conservation, Dallas, and our customers.