Conservation is cool, y’all. Here’s how to start saving water at home

Conservation is cool, y'all. Here's how to start saving water at home Posted on August 24, 2026

It's hot out there, folks, and most of us haven't seen a good, soaking rain in a while. After Texas got a brief stretch of generous spring rains and a hopeful start to June, summer rainfall has sharply declined. By late June, a stubborn upper-level ridge-called a heat dome-parked itself over the state, pushing temperatures upward and driving the chance of precipitation down to almost nothing. The latest Water Weekly from the Texas Water Development Board shows drought spreading, with pockets of exceptional drought returning to the Panhandle.

When the weather turns this dry, plants and lawns start to suffer and your monthly water utility bill starts inching upward. It's the perfect time to rethink how you use water-and to start employing simple, smarter ways to use less water and make the water you do use go a bit further. Here are some water-wise habits to protect both your landscape and your wallet.

Water-saving strategies inside your home

Turn off the tap

Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, washing your hands, or shaving saves gallons of water each time you're at the sink, and it'll save you from literally throwing money down the drain! A bathroom faucet typically flows at 1-2 gallons per minute, so turning it off during those idle moments saves hundreds of gallons (and several dollars) per month.

Fix leaks

A slow drip from a faucet or a silently running toilet can waste thousands of gallons a year. An easy way to discover leaks is by checking your water meter when no water is being used; if the meter's still moving, then your system is wasting water somewhere. That means it's time to check for running toilets, worn-out washers, or loose pipe connections and get them fixed!

Run full loads only

Dishwashers and washing machines use nearly the same amount of water whether they're half-full or packed. So, you'll use less water overall by only running only full loads in both the dishwasher and the washing machine.

Refrigerate drinking water

Keep drinking water in a pitcher in the fridge instead of letting the tap run cold. This prevents waste and ensures you always have chilled drinking water available, which is key to beating the heat-plus it reduces your reliance on single-use plastic bottles.

Water-saving strategies outside your home

Water landscape in the early morning

Watering your lawn in the early morning reduces water loss from solar evaporation and allows plants and grass to dry quickly, which helps prevent fungus growth. Winds are also typically calmer in the early morning.

Cycle and soak irrigation

The cycle and soak method prevents oversaturation and runoff by splitting watering into shorter cycles with rest periods that let the soil absorb moisture. Smart sprinkler controllers make it easy to use the cycle and soak method because they have built-in features to automate this process for your yard.

Design a water-wise landscape

Want a water-efficient yard? Go native by stablishing well-adapted, native plants, shrubs, trees, and grasses around your home. Because native plants have adapted to a region's climate over time, they are more drought-tolerant, conserve water more efficiently, and require less water than non-native plants. Local nurseries and Texas A&M Agrilife Extension are good sources of information about landscaping tailored to your area.

Follow local watering restrictions

Outdoor watering guidelines are common as Texas communities manage and preserve water supply during drought. Many municipalities enforce limits like once- or twice-weekly outdoor watering schedules and restricted sprinkler hours. Check with your water provider to find out if outdoor watering restrictions are in place in your neighborhood.

Manage in-ground irrigation and check your sprinkler heads

Manually adjust your in-ground irrigation system according to rain events and seasonal fluctuations instead of leaving the system on an automatic setting (or install a smart irrigation controller system that will do it for you). Additionally, not all plants have the same watering requirements, so be intentional about applying water in appropriate amounts where it is needed. The best type of sprinkler for lawns is one that produces large drops of water close to the ground.

Consider installing a rainwater harvesting system

Collected rainwater is a free water source that is ideal for landscape irrigation, gardening, and non-potable household uses-and your plants will love you for harvesting the rain, since there's no better water for things that grow. Generally, every inch of rain that falls on a 2,000-square-foot roof provides about 1,000 gallons of collectable water. Learn more about the many benefits of harvesting rainwater.

Cover your pool or spa when not in use

Uncovered pools constantly lose water to evaporation, which can add up to the equivalent of your pool's volume each year-that's thousands more gallons of water to pay for annually. A pool cover helps avoid the need to refill your pool throughout the summer.

This article is posted in .