• A kitchen compost bucket helps reduce water use for the disposal.Kompost-Schale image by Roland Marz from Fotolia.com
  
  Water conservation is increasingly important as the world population grows and the earth's water supply remains static. As of 2010, the United States ranked sixth in the world in water resources, but third in water consumption and waste. According to Elizabeth Goldsmith in "Resource Management for Individuals and Families," the average U.S. household uses 350 gallons of water a day. Practicing water conservation in the home helps preserve a vital natural resource while cutting the cost of utility bills.
  
  

Bathroom

• When total household water usage is examined, the highest use is in bathrooms. Goldsmith says toilets use 27 percent of total household water. Showers use 22 percent, faucets 16 percent and leaks consume 14 percent. One way to help save water in the bathroom is to install modern low-water-use toilets when replacing worn or broken fixtures. Replace faucets and shower heads with low-flow types. Don't let the water run while shaving or brushing your teeth. Take shorter showers. Resist using the toilet as a garbage can -- don't flush the dead bug; put it in the garbage. Paul Mason, in "How Big is Your Water Footprint?" suggests flushing toilets only when absolutely necessary. You can even recycle water from the shower or hand basins to flush the toilet -- or install a composting toilet.
  
  

Kitchen

• Restrict garbage disposal use, which consumes a lot of water. For example, get rid of vegetable waste by composting it. Run dishwashers only when they are full, and use the water-saving mode if you have it. When doing dishes by hand, save the dirty water and use it for watering plants. Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or microwave instead of in water. Rather than letting water run for cold drinking water, keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator.
  
  

Laundry

• Wait to wash clothes until you have a full load. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension estimates a monthly savings of around 300 gallons if washers and dishwashers are run only when full. If washing a smaller load, set the tub water capacity accordingly. Purchase water-efficient washer models. Use buckets to presoak clothes rather than large utility sinks. If possible, pretreat clothes with soil-releasing chemicals that don't need a water soak.
  
  

General

• Monitor faucets and toilets for leaks, replacing washers and parts when needed. According to the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, one faucet with one drip per second can use nearly 9 gallons of water a day. Check the water meter for undetected leaks by shutting off all water use for 2 hours. Record readings at the beginning and end of the period. If the readings aren't the same, there is a leak somewhere.