5-minute showers – Saves 12 gallons a day, or about 4,400 gallons per year.
Turn Off Water While Brushing Teeth – Saves 12 gallons per day, or about 4,400 gallons per year.
Run full loads of dishes – Saves 20 gallons per day, or 3,000 gallons per year.
Upgrade Toilets – Switching to a WaterSense toilet can save 11 gallons per day, or 4,000 gallons per year. Look for EPWater rebates here.
Wash full loads and use proper load size settings on your machine to conserve water. Click this link to learn about High Efficiency (HE) Energy Star washing machine rebates.
Water Smart Landscape Practices – save up to 50% of your irrigation water by mulching and planting native plant species. Go to ElPasoDesertBlooms.org for ideas!
Weather-Based Irrigation Controller – can save between 18,000 and 27,000 gallons per year. Look for EPWater rebates here.
Wash Your Car at a Carwash – saves between 30-90 gallons per wash.
Cover Your Pool – Putting a solar cover on your pool can save up to 100,000 gallons per year from evaporation.
Home Water Use Calculator
- Follow the El Paso Water | Watering Schedule to minimize evaporation, and download seasonal watering recommendations to encourage deep-rooted, healthy plants.
- Look for dozens of other water conservation tips on EPA’s Water Sense page.
- Watch the Home Water Challenge video.
- Use our Water Calculation Sheet (english pdf) (spanish pdf) to see how much water everyday fixtures use in your home.
- Use the Home Water Use Calculator to see where you can save water.
- For outdoor water savings, be sure to check for leaks. See our Finding Leaks page for more information.
- Irrigation Audit and Leak Detection Checklist (english pdf) (spanish pdf)