Aqua Pennsylvania encourages you to be mindful of water consumption as we enter the spring planting season and the summer months that follow. Drier than normal weather conditions continue across Pennsylvania, despite rain and snow over the winter.  

There are many easy ways you can conserve water both outside and inside your home or business. Consider making these following tips a part of your daily routine. Together, we can get through the drought. 

Outdoor Conservation

• Limit watering gardens, trees and other outdoor plants. 
• If your outdoor landscape needs to be watered, water early in the morning when temperatures are cooler. Don’t water on very windy days. 
• If watering your lawn, ensure your sprinkler system timer is operating correctly, and only targeting greenery, not driveways or sidewalks. 
• Use sprinklers in early morning or evening to reduce evaporation, and do not use on rainy days 
• Weed regularly so water is utilized only by wanted plants. 
• Minimize fertilizer use, which requires more watering and encourages new growth. 
• Plant native and drought-resistant plants. Ornamental plants tend to require more watering and maintenance. 
• Some examples of drought-resistant, PA native plants include: 
• Conifers such as juniper and larch 
• Tulips, Virginia bluebells, yellow wild indigo, sedum rupestre (Angelina), lavender, butterfly milkweed, yuccas, echinacea, wild columbine, little blue stem grass, blue-eyed mary 
• Ground covers including Kentucky bluegrass and clovers 
• See the full list of Heat and Drought Tolerant Plants 
• Make sure to cluster plants with similar water demands 
• Utilize a rain barrel to water outdoor plants to avoid over-using drinking water. 
• Hold off on planting new trees and saplings until the fall, when they will soon be naturally going into dormancy, and require less water than those planted in the spring. 
• Raise your lawnmower blade to its highest level. This allows grass blades to shade each other, holding in more moisture. 
• Use a broom to clear patios, steps, driveways, etc. rather than water. 
• Cover pools when not in use to lower water loss to evaporation and install a water-saving pool filter. 
• Avoid lawn ornaments that require constant running water, unless the water is recycled. 

Indoor Conservation

• Only run the dishwasher when it’s full. 
• If washing dishes by hand, fill one side of the sink with wash water and one side with rinse water. Don’t let the water run the whole time. 
• Reuse drinking glasses throughout the day to limit number of dishes to be washed. 
• Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth or shaving.
• Take shorter showers and limit baths.
• Only run full washer machines or set the load size accurately.
• Keep drinking water in a pitcher in the fridge, rather than running the tap until it gets cold.
• Fix leaky faucets, pipes, and toilets.
• Restaurants should only bring water to tables upon request.