The end of July and beginning of August marks the time of year for "peak" residential water usage in most parts of the country. People are filling their swimming pools, watering their lawns, and washing their cars -- using up to four times more water than during the rest of the year. This peak usage puts a strain on local water supplies, which in turn may cause utilities to increase their charges in order to encourage efficiency.

The following are smart moves you can make towards conserving water now and in the future:

1. Get the leaks fixed in your plumbing system. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks.

 

2. Have more efficient plumbing fixtures and appliances installed in your home. The EPA WaterSense label provides an easy way to identify these water-friendly items -- from toilets, to showerheads, faucets, dishwashers and clothes washers -- that use at least 20 percent less water, even during peak water use.

(See examples top-to-bottom: Anabelle Eco-Performance kitchen faucet by Moen; Sydney Smart dual-flush toilet by Caroma; Forté water-saving showerhead by Kohler)

3. Wait to do your laundry or wash your dishes until you have a full load. Clean dirty dishes by scraping them off before you load, rather than by rinsing.

4. Replace portions of your lawn with low-maintenance planting beds that require less water than grass, or use modern hybrid grass seeds that are designed to be slow growing, which means they also require less water than standard grass seeds.

5. Water your lawn and garden only when needed and during the very early morning or evening hours. Peak watering time is normally between 6-9 a.m., with a secondary peak between 6-9 p.m.

6. During hot summer days, keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator, rather than running the faucet to cool the water down.