Thoughtless consumption and sneaky squander are huge contributors to the amount of water we waste. Here are some ways we use way too much water at home:

Flushing Toilets: A standard toilet uses 3.5-7 gallons per flush, and the average American flushes the toilet 5 times per day. Modern low-flow toilets use just 1.28 gallons or less, or 25-50% less water per flush.

Leaky Pipes/Faucets: A small leak can waste 20 gallons of water per day, and large leaks can waste hundreds. A sink dripping 1 drop per second means more than 3,000 gallons wasted per year. A leaky toilet can waste as much as 1,400 gallons every day!

Watering Lawn/Plants: Depending on the system, lawn sprinklers can consume upwards of 250 gallons per hour per “zone,” with most homes having several lawn zones. Many sprinkler systems also run too often and water excessively to unnecessary areas (like the sidewalk). Water-efficient irrigation systems like Droplet can save up to 90% of outdoor water consumption.

Doing Dishes: An average hand-washing session with the water running can use more than 40 gallons of water. Hand-washing while turning water on and off uses around 20 gallons. Modern dishwashers usually require just 10 gallons or less for a full load of dishes. Also, running the garbage disposal requires a lot of water, and the solids that build up in the septic tank can lead to leaks.

Lengthy Showers: The average shower (around 8 minutes) with an old showerhead uses around 45 gallons of water. A water-efficient showerhead can save around 24 gallons per shower, or 750 gallons per month. Cutting down shower time by just a few (3-5) minutes can save at least 10 gallons each time!

Washing the Car: Washing your car at home using an average hose can use 80-140 gallons of water. Washing at a garage uses around 30-45 gallons, plus they usually recycle water!

Brushing Teeth/Shaving: Leaving the water running while you brush or shave wastes tons of water. To avoid the waste, turn the faucet off between rinses, or brush your teeth first while waiting for water to get hot, then shave after filling the sink basin.

Swimming Pools: Pools naturally lose between 10,000-20,000 gallons per year to evaporation and have a leak rate of around 20-30%. But since most pools have automatic refillers, we don’t even notice!

Doing Laundry: Running half-loads of laundry can waste 1,000 gallons of water each month. The permanent press cycle uses an added 5 gallons for the extra rinse. To conserve water, wait for full loads, and if your washing machine has the option, match the water level to the wash load.

Outdoor Cleaning: The average hose (ranging from ½”- ¾”) uses between 9-23 gallons of water per minute. Instead of reaching for the hose, use a broom to sweep your driveway/sidewalk clean and save gallons!