Tips for reducing water use during a drought

Maryland Department of the Environment officials are urging residents and businesses in Western Maryland to voluntarily reduce their use of water after the department issued a drought watch Tuesday for the area.

The environmental department (MDE) also shared several tips for conserving water . Some of the advice are things people can do right now, while others might require an investment.

Reducing water usage indoors

Maryland Department of Environment's tips for reducing indoor water usage immediately include:

• Run dishwasher only when full.
• Defrost food in refrigerator rather than under running water. A running faucet uses about a gallon of water per minute.
• Use a dishpan or plug the sink when hand-washing dishes.
• Don’t prerinse dishes before putting them in dishwasher.
• Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator rather than running faucet water until it's cold.
• Check toilets regularly for leaks. A leaking toilet can waste up to 100 gallons a day.
• Do not use the toilet as a trash can.
• Replace old showerheads. Low-flow showerheads can save 3 gallons a minute.
• Take shorter showers.
• Turn off water when shaving or brushing teeth.
• Run full loads of laundry instead of a lot of small loads.

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Reducing water usage outdoors

MDE's tips for saving water outdoors:

• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean decks, sidewalks and other paved areas. Five minutes of running a hose uses 25 gallons of water.
• Pull weeds to decrease competition for water.
• Increase mowing height to 2 in. to 3 in.
• Apply mulch to reduce evaporation and prevent weed growth.

Whether or not to water lawns during a drought

The state environment department and the University of Maryland Extension Service both have tips for watering, or not watering, lawns during droughts.

From the environmental department:

• Only water gardens and lawns instead of setting the sprinkler wider to include sidewalks and the street.
• Water the lawn only when the ground is dry and preferably no more than once a week. In one hour, a sprinkler can use the same amount of water that equals the daily needs of a family of four.
• Water during the coolest part of the day, preferably in the morning, and never on windy days. Up to 30% of water can be lost to evaporation when watering a lawn during midday.

Not all lawns need watering as some grasses go dormant during droughts, according to a March 2023 post at the extension service's website about drought damage to lawns .

Lawns with mostly turf-type tall fescue can tolerate drought conditions unless they were recently seeded or sodded.

The extension service also cautions against watering lawns in the evening or doing shallow watering that can lead to shallow roots.

The service recommends watering grass if walking on it leaves footprints or the grass turns bluish gray. Watering should be done between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.

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Long-term ways to reduce water use

The state environmental department's longer term tips for reducing water usage are:

• Repair or replace leaking hoses and sprinklers.
• Use an automatic shut-off nozzle on hoses.
• If possible, collect rainwater to reuse in the garden.
• Install efficient irrigation systems such as drip irrigation, soil soakers and efficient sprinkler systems.
• Install low-flow toilets or toilet dams.
• Consider energy and water efficiency when buying a new washing machine. Newer models use 40% less water and can save up to 6,000 gallons a year.
• Consider water use when purchasing a new dishwasher. New water and energy efficient models use 20% less water.
• Cover pools to prevent evaporation. An average uncovered pool loses about an inch of water a week due to evaporation.
• Limit grass areas. Use trees, shrubs, and other plants that require less water to landscape yards. Grass turf requires 30% to 50% more water than shrubs and other groundcover plants.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Tips for reducing water use during a drought