Saving water = saving money.

It’s a pretty basic equation about a very important commodity, and here are five ways you can help, with very little effort.
 

1. Fix a leak, save a drop. A faucet leaking at one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year. Fixing it can save enough water in a year to fill a backyard swimming pool.
2. Go native. A typical suburban lawn consumes 10,000 gallons of water beyond rainwater each year, according to the EPA. Plants best suited to the climate can dramatically reduce irrigation.
3. Need to replace appliances?  Go for water-efficient devices. Many local water agencies offer rebates to offset costs.
4. Waste not, want not. Minimizing personal food waste saves you money as well as water used in agriculture, which accounts for more than 70 percent of ground and surface water used in the United States.
5. Talk to your friends and neighbors. When people understand the reasoning for water conservation, they are far more likely to change their behavior.

Only 3 percent of water on earth is fresh water and only a fraction of that is available for use. Do your part by taking the National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation, presented by Toyota and the Wyland Foundation, April 1-30. Visit www.mywaterpledge.com to learn more.