Recently, there are more and more areas struggling with droughts. Therefore, conserving water is more important than it ever has been. Even if you’re not living in these regions, reducing your water consumption at home will not only decrease your utility bill, but help to conserve this precious natural resource.

Whether you are prepared to cut down on your shower time or simply use a shower bucket, there are many ways to conserve water daily around the home. Even a few small changes can add up to hundreds of gallons in water savings each year! Here are 7 tips to save water:

1. Shower bucket. Instead of letting the water go down the drain while heating up the water and showering, simply place a bucket under your shower to catch the water. This water can be used to flush the toilet or water plants.
2. Re-use your pasta/rice cooking liquid. It is still perfectly good water after you drain the noodles, so keep the water and use it to water flowers. Make sure the water has cooled down before using.
3. Re-use the water left over from cooked or steamed foods. You can easily use the water as a soup base or again water some flowers or plants.
4. Use the  dishwasher or washing machine  only when they are full. No point in using more electricity and water for a half full dishwasher or washing machine.
5. Thaw food in the fridge. No need to run water to thaw food. Simply defrost food in the refrigerator for water efficiency.
6. Rainwater. It is great for watering shrubs and plants. So why not collect it before it runs off into the ground?
7. Water your garden. Watering in the early morning is a perfect time for allowing water to infiltrate soil, sink in, and give plants strength to beat the heat. The later in the day it is, the higher the evaporation rate will be. It's also important to remember that you need to keep soil nutrients. Overwatering can wash away some of these. Another overindulgent situation can also happen when your plants experience nutrient burn because you have applied too much fertilizer. The lesson here as a gardener is that everything has to be done in moderation. This means excessive watering and over-fertilization of your plants, which are things that you should be mindful of and avoid.

How will you reduce your water footprint? Check out this infographic from JT Spas to learn how.

This post was brought to you by JT Spas – click here to see the original graphic.