Drinking Water Week is coming to an end! This is a good time to think about ways to conserve water around your home.

Conserving water is so important. Many only think about conservation during a drought, but really, it's best to conserve water all the time. Why? Because conserving our water helps to protect our precious source water.

Follow these steps (which are available right here on DrinkTap) to do your part to use water wisely:

• Repair leaky faucets, indoors and out.
• Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes.
• Only run the dishwasher and washing machine when they are full.
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Turn off the water to brush teeth, shave and soap up in the shower. Fill the sink to shave.
• Repair leaky toilets. Add 12 drops of food coloring into the tank, and if color appears in the bowl one hour later, the toilet is leaking.
• Install a toilet dam, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads.
• Apply mulch around shrubs and flower beds to reduce evaporation, promote plant growth and control weeds.
• Collect rainfall for irrigation in a screened container (to prevent mosquito larvae growth).
• Always use a broom to clean walkways, driveways, decks and porches, rather than hosing off these areas.

More information about conserving water is available right here on DrinkTap.