Every drop counts!

Conserving water year-round is important--especially in times of drought. Here are several tips from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs to help you make every drop count:

• Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes.

• Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues and other similar waste in the trash.

• Replace your showerhead with an ultra low-flow version, saving up to 2.5 gallons per minute.

• In the shower, instead of increasing the hot or cold water flow to adjust the water temperature, try decreasing the flow to achieve a comfortable water temperature.

• Don't let the water run while shaving, washing your face or brushing your teeth.

• Minimize the use of kitchen sink disposals; they require a lot of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing of food waste.

• Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run to get a cool glass of water.

• Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator.

• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow stream of water from the faucet. Use the dirty water to run your sink disposal if necessary.

• Fully load automatic dishwashers; they use the same amount of water no matter how much is in them.

• Unlike your dishwasher, the amount of water your washing machine uses is adjustable; set water levels according to the load size.

• Buy water-saving washing machines. Horizontal-loading machines use less water than top-loading machines.

• Never install a water-to-air heat pump or air-conditioning system. Air-to-air models are just as efficient and do not waste water.

• Install water-softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum amount of regenerations necessary. Turn softeners off while on vacation.

• Verify that your home is leak-free. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a hidden leak.

• Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year.

• Retrofit all wasteful household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors.

• Insulate your water pipes. You'll get hot water faster and avoid wasting water.

• Check to see if there are water restrictions in your area before watering the lawn. Buy a rain gauge to see how much water your yard gets.

• Don't over-water your lawn. Generally, lawns only need watering every five to seven days in the summer.

• Water lawns during early morning hours to reduce losses from evaporation. Position your sprinklers so that your water lands on the lawn and shrubs, not on paved areas.

• Teach your family how to shut off automatic sprinkler systems so they can turn them off when storms are coming.

• Raise your lawn mower blade to at least 3 inches. A lawn cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soil moisture better than closely clipped lawns.

• Avoid over-fertilizing your lawn. The application of fertilizers increases the need for water and is a source of water pollution.

• Mulch to retain soil moisture and control weeds.

• Plant native and/or drought-tolerant plants. Group plants together based on similar water needs.

• Minimize the grass areas in your yard because less grass means less water.

• Do not hose down your driveway or sidewalk to clean them off; use a broom instead, saving hundreds of gallons of water.

• Check all hoses, connectors and spigots regularly.

• Replace or add washers if you find leaks.

• If you have a pool, consider a new, water-saving pool filter. A single back-flushing with a traditional filter uses from 180 to 250 gallons of water.

• Consider using a commercial car wash that recycles water.

-- Source: www.dca.state.ga.us/water_conservation

Kids’ zone—‘Energy slang’

Everyday words sometimes have a different meaning to people who work in energy industries. See if you can guess which definition goes with each word. Draw a line to connect the word to its meaning.

If you need help, the answers are at the bottom of the page. Good luck!