30 tips for using water more wisely in your own backyard:

1. Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops of water and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
2. Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff and allow for better absorption every time you water.
3. Only water your lawn when needed. You can tell this by simply walking across your lawn. If you leave footprints, it's time to water.
4. Use a screwdriver as a soil probe to test soil moisture. If it goes in easily, don't water.
5. Avoid planting turf in areas that are hard to water such as steep inclines or declines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.
6. Only use the sprinkler for larger areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.
7. Avoid watering your lawn on windy days when evaporation and water displacement are greater. After all, sidewalks and driveways don't need water.
8. Install a rain sensor device that can automatically shut-off your sprinklers when it starts rain to eliminate unnecessary watering.
9. Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
10. Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
11. Choose a water-efficient drip irrigation system for trees, shrubs and flowers. Watering at the roots is very effective for creating healthier and stronger landscapes.
12. Group plants with the same watering needs together to get the most out of your watering time.
13. While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.
14. Use a layer of organic mulch around plants, leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on top of the soil. This keeps the soil cooler improving soil moisture absorption and reduces evaporation.
15. Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by planting shrubs and ground cover with rock and granite mulching. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant.
16. Adjust your lawn mower to a higher blade setting. Longer grass shades root systems and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.
17. Leave grass clippings on your lawn to save time, money and effort. Clippings will break down into a natural fertilizer and because they cover the lawn, they reduce evaporation and the need to water.
18. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk and save 300 litres of water every time.
19. Use porous materials for walkways and patios to keep water in your yard and prevent wasteful runoff.
20. Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect water from downspouts in buckets or rain barrels and use for watering your lawn or garden.
21. Grab a wrench and fix that leaky outdoor faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and can save 500 litres of water a week.
22. Avoid installing ornamental water features and fountains that spray water into the air. Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation.
23. Don't buy recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
24. Teach your family how to shut off your automatic watering systems. Turn sprinklers off if the system is malfunctioning or when a storm is approaching.
25. Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden with a hose.
26. Check your water meter and bill to track your water usage.
27. Wash your car on the grass. Bathe your pets outdoors in an area in need of water. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most. This will water your lawn at the same time.
28. Use a spring-loaded shut off hose nozzle and turn off the water while you wash your car to save more than 300 litres per wash.
29. Pick-up the phone and report significant water losses from broken pipes, open hydrants and errant sprinklers to the property owner or your water management district.
30. Have your plumber re-route your gray water to trees and gardens rather than letting it run into the sewer line. Check with your city codes, and if it isn't allowed in your area, start a movement to get that changed.

Water is not a renewable resource - your actions now will become the norm in the future. Become a leader today for your community's wise water use tomorrow.

Source: www.wateruseitwisely.com