Water-Saving Tips for Residents

Small steps. Big savings.

Saving water every day is the Long Beach way. Small water-wise habits make a big difference. There are many diverse ways to save water both indoors and outdoors, whether you live in an apartment, condominium or house.

Outdoors

Turf Replacement

If you are a residential customer looking to remove your turf grass, contact LawnToGarden@lbwater.org. The Lawn-to-Garden program provides an incentive of $3.00 per square foot for front yards and $2.00 per square foot for backyards, up to 5,000 square feet. For more information about the Lawn-to-Garden incentive and to apply, please visit www.lblawntogarden.com.

Pool and Spa

• Use a pool cover to significantly reduce water lost to evaporation. Pool covers also reduce the need for chemicals and reduce energy costs for heated pools
• Shut off all water features including waterfalls and fountains to reduce water loss and evaporation
• Check the pool periodically for leaks
• Use a cartridge pool filter which does not require backwashing
• Incorporate a pre-filter into your system which can reduce the water needed to clean sand and cartridge filters
• Keep pools and pool filters clean to minimize the frequency of filter backwashing
• If possible, utilize filter backwash water on lawns or shrubs (if chlorine levels are acceptable at less than 3 mg/L)
• Check automatic timers to adjust the frequency and duration
• Lower pool temperatures to reduce the water lost to evaporation and save energy
• Plug the overflow line when pool is in use

Irrigation and Landscaping

• Turn sprinklers off before, during and after rainstorms
• Fix broken or misaligned sprinklers
• Put mulch under shrubs and trees
• Water at dawn or dusk
• Install a soil moisture sensor system
• Stick to the watering schedule
• Switch traditional sprinklers to high efficiency rotary sprinklers
• Install a weather-based irrigation controller

Cleaning and Maintenance

• Use a broom to clean driveways and patios instead of a hose
• Use a shut-off nozzle on the hose when washing your car. Better yet, take your car to a carwash, which often uses less water than you would at home. Many also use recycled water. LBG Express Car Wash recycles over 90% of water used. This allows them to use about 14 gallons of fresh water per car, which is less than most washing machines.

Indoors

In the Kitchen

• Run the dishwasher only when full
• Fix leaky faucets
• Instead of using water to thaw frozen foods, use the fridge to defrost overnight
• Reuse water, such as from rinsing produce or boiling pasta (let it cool first!) to water the garden

In the Laundry Room

• Wash only full laundry loads
• Change to a high efficiency clothes washer

In the Bathroom

• When lathering don’t run the water
• Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth
• Fill the bathtub halfway or less
• Take a one-song-shower
• Shave with the water off
• Flush wisely
• Install a low-flow showerhead
• Change to a high efficiency toilet using available rebates