Water Conservation 101: Simple Hacks for a Water-Wise Home

Every day, it seems, headlines warn of hotter summers, more intense fire seasons, lower snowpack, and less water to go around.

It can feel overwhelming, and it begs the question: “What is a concerned New Mexican to do?”

As grim as the predictions can be, remember: You can be a part of the solution. Even making a few small changes at home can help. Over time and alongside your neighbors, these changes can lead to big impacts — like what people accomplished in Santa Fe. We wrote a whole blog about it here, but TLDR: Since 1995, Santa Fe has reduced its water use by 40%, despite population growth and largely due to residential water conservation. It’s an excellent example of the power of people.

Christine Chavez is the city of Santa Fe’s water conservation manager. She implements programs that make it easier and less expensive for residents to save water. Here are a few hacks that Chavez and other experts recommend:

“You can be a part of the solution. Even making a few small changes at home can help. Over time and alongside your neighbors, these changes can lead to big impacts.”

Install Efficient Appliances:

In the early 2000’s, after a devastating drought, the City of Santa Fe gave away 10,000 free toilets. These weren’t just any toilets. They were high-efficiency low-flow toilets, and their implementation helped save the city millions of gallons of water each year. Installing efficient appliances is one of the most effective ways to reduce your household water use. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, using EnergyStar-certified appliances and WaterSense-labeled fixtures can help reduce water use by 20%, saving the average household $380 a year. That’s a big win-win, saving shared water resources and your money.

Turn Off the Tap:

It takes two minutes — and, if you don’t turn off the tap, up to 4 gallons of water — to brush your teeth. This may seem like minimal waste, but consider this: If every New Mexican reduced their use by 4 gallons of water twice a day, we could save as much water each year as the entire city of Las Cruces uses annually.

Fix Leaks:

That drip-drip-drip from your outdoor hose bib? It’s not insignificant. The EPA estimates that faucet leaks contribute to about 900 billion gallons of wasted water every year in the United States. That’s equivalent to the annual water use of 11 million households.

Plant Water-Wise Gardens:

A properly installed, well-maintained drip irrigation system can reduce outdoor water use by up to 15%. And in New Mexico, gardeners don’t have to sacrifice beauty for water savings. A host of showy plants grow well in our arid climate. Choose your species wisely, install drip irrigation, mulch well, and watch your garden flourish. It may take a couple years for new plants to establish and thrive with less water, but eventually your investment will pay off. The New Mexico Office of the State Engineer has a handy guidebook to help you get started.

Replace Non-Functional Turf:

If it’s for show, let it go. If it’s for play, let it stay. We all know grass is thirsty, but that doesn’t mean it’s never appropriate in New Mexico landscapes. Expansive lawns in shady parks offer a verdant refuge for city dwellers while giving young ones — and the young at heart — a place to play. But if you have grass on your property that’s purely decorative, consider replacing it with a more water-wise alternative.

Undertaking these changes as a community will not only lead to water savings, it will also build hope. Chavez says she’s optimistic, especially when she talks to young people.

“It may not happen for us or for the older generations, but these younger generations are taking in this information, and they understand, and they're learning, and they're wanting to play bigger roles,” she says. “I think they're gonna change the way the environment is considered at a national level. So I do have a lot of optimism.”