I feel like I just wrote a post about how to stay warm without heat, and here we are talking about how to save water this summer. You have to keep the grass green, the car clean and the tomato plants growing – but all of that extra water adds up. Below are easy ways to conserve water and save a few bucks – that way you’ll have enough left over to bust out the Slip ‘N Slide.

11 Ways to Save Money on Water This Summer

1. Install a Faucet Aerator: It screws onto the bottom of your faucet to reduce water flow, without reducing pressure. Note: If you have a newer faucet, it may already have one built-in. Prices for aerators range from about $5-20.

2. Insulate Pipes: Cover your hot water pipes with foam insulation to prevent heat loss. You’ll get hot water faster, wasting less while you wait.

3. Don’t Use the Disposal: Compost food waste or throw it in the trash. Both are water-free options.

4. Switch to a Low-Flow Shower Head: According to the US Department of Energy, low-flow shower heads use 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm); older models use as much as 5.5 gpm. Make the switch and you’ll reduce your water bill by 25-60%.

5. Shower Instead of Taking Baths: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it takes 35 gallons of water to fill your bathtub. Switch to a five-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead, and you’ll save 22.5 gallons!

6. Check Toilets for Leaks: A leaky toilet can waste as much as 500 gallons of water each day! Place a dye tablet (free at most home stores) in the tank, and watch to see if the dye seeps into the bowl. If it does, you have a leak that needs to be fixed.

7. Collect Rain Water: Attach rain barrels to the end of your gutter drain spouts to collect rainwater. Then, use it to feed your plants and wash your car.

8. Put plastic bottles in your toilet tank
: To cut down on water waste, fill two 20 oz. plastic bottles with water and an inch of put an inch of sand or pebbles, and put them in your tank. This tricks the tank into thinking it’s fuller than it is and can save ten or more gallons per day. Be sure at least 3 gallons remain in the tank so it will flush.

9. Use Your Dishwasher: Contrary to popular belief, it takes more water to hand-wash dishes than it takes to wash them in the dishwasher.

10. Turn off the water when you shave: 
Fill a cup with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste.

11. Water early: Early watering reduces water loss to evaporation and helps prevent the growth of fungus. Avoid windy days – wind can blow hoses and sprinkler streams onto driveways and gutters, and causes faster evaporation.

How do you save on or recycle water?