When it comes to conserving water, even the smallest of changes can make a big impact. Take a leaky faucet for example. Even if it drips just once per second, it can wind up wasting more than 3,000 gallons of water over the course of a year. If you are looking for ways to reduce your water consumption, here are eight things you can try:1. Water your lawn in the morning or early evening. Water evaporates faster during the middle of the day, when the sun is at its strongest. Watering your lawn during the morning or early evening ensures more moisture actually stays in the soil. 2. Cover your pool when it’s not being used. Evaporation can affect your pool, too. Minimize water loss by covering it up when it is not being used. 3. Utilize your dishwasher. Washing your dishes by hand can use up to 25 gallons of water or more. An Energy Star dishwasher, on the other hand, only uses three. Just make sure your dishwasher is full before you run it for maximum efficiency. 4. Don’t wash your car at home. Washing your car by hand requires a lot of time, effort, and water. Going to the car wash doesn’t just save you time and energy, it also requires less than half the amount of water. 5. Invest in a rainwater harvesting system. Every time it rains, you are missing a great opportunity to collect free water for your lawn. Installing a rainwater harvesting system can be done for under $100 and can eliminate your landscape irrigation costs. 6. Reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower. Now that the warm weather is here, you don’t need to take those long, hot showers. Shortening your showers by just two minutes can save nearly 2,000 gallons of water per person every year. 7. Take advantage of your greywater. Greywater is a name given to non-toilet waste water (ex: from your shower, sink, washing machine etc.). While it looks dirty and unsafe, it is actually a perfectly good source of water for your landscaping. 8. Fix any leaks in your plumbing system. A dripping faucet, leaking pipe, or running toilet seems like no big deal, but these things can waste thousands of gallons of water if they aren’t fixed. Looking for more ways to save water? Check out this list of 190 ideas from Water: Use it Wisely. If you have any leaks in your home, Patterson Plumbing can fix them. If you live in Pueblo County, Colorado, trust us for all of your plumbing, heating, and cooling needs. Contact us online to schedule your service, or give us a call at (719) 544-4922.