Common Water Waste Habits & Simple Solutions

* Leaving the water running when brushing teeth, shaving, or washing hands. This can waste up to 5 gallons of water per minute.

* Taking long showers. The average shower uses about 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Taking a 10-minute shower can waste up to 25 gallons of water.

* Not fixing leaky faucets. A leaky faucet can waste up to 10 gallons of water per day.

* Watering the lawn too much. Watering the lawn for just 10 minutes can use up to 40 gallons of water.

* Washing the car with a hose. Washing a car with a hose can use up to 100 gallons of water.

* Using the dishwasher when it's not full. A dishwasher uses about 6 gallons of water per cycle. Running a half-full dishwasher wastes about 3 gallons of water.

* Not recycling water. Water from the sink, shower, or bath can be reused to water plants, clean the floor, or wash the car.

By making a few simple changes, we can all help to reduce water waste.