By Andrea Henderson
Despite recent rains, Southern California will still be in a drought and we will be called upon to save
water. Here are a few water-saving suggestions:
1. Take shorter showers. Taking shorter showers is one of the quickest ways to save money on
water. Shorter showers each day can add up to some serious savings come bill time. Every minute
spent in the shower uses about two-and-a-half gallons of water, with the average American showering
for eight minutes. That means that if a shower is cut down to five minutes, it can shave seven-and-a-
half gallons per day from a water bill. Plus, taking shorter showers can also lead to savings on gas or
electricity bills. According to the Department of Energy, a water heater accounts for around 18 percent
of the monthly utility payments. A new shorter shower routine will be saving money on two fronts!
Another frugal tip: put a few buckets in the shower. Collect the cold water as the shower heats up,
and you can use those buckets of water to water plants or even f lush the toilet a few times each week.
2. Install a low-f low shower head. A low-f low shower head can save around half a gallon per minute
in the shower. It may not sound like a lot, but taking an eight-minute shower every day, could save
around 120 gallons of water each month.
3. Fix leaks promptly. Even a small drip can waste a lot of water over time. How much? One single
drip every 10 seconds in an average home can waste up to 104 gallons a year!
4. Turn off the faucet. Even just keeping the faucet turned off while tooth brushing can save about
two to three gallons every day.
10 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MARCH 2025
$aving ¢ents
SAVING ON WATER
