- Replace old toilets, dish washers and washing machines with new, high efficiency models. There are rebates for many of these devices.
- Check for leaks in toilets, faucets and showers, and repair immediately.
- Shorten showers to five minutes or less, and use a low-flow shower head (the City provides these at no cost).
- Track your water use with the City's free Water Tracker program. This program will show you daily water use and alert you of leaks. One leaky toilet can waste 120 to 4,800 gallons of water per day!
- Check out other simple ways to conserve within your home.
- Wash full loads of laundry and dishes.
- Water in the early morning to minimize evaporation (Per BHMC, water after 5:00 pm or before 9:00 am).
- Check and adjust your sprinkler time monthly. You can water 2 to 3 days a week (October through May) and 3 days per week (June through September).
- Water 8 minutes per station for traditional, overhead sprinklers. Drip will have to run longer - It's more efficient to run longer to get the water deep into the soil to the roots of the plant.
- Check your sprinkler system monthly for leaks and broken heads.
- Consider the “cycle and soak” method if you have a slope or clay soil. Run your sprinklers for a few minutes until you see run off. Then, run them again an hour later for a few minutes. This will help get the water deep into soil.
- Put a back-up battery (typically a 9-volt) in the back of your controller in case the electricity goes out.
- Water your grass as efficiently as possible (see Watering Your Lawn Flyer).
- Install a weather-based irrigation controller. This will automatically adjust your watering schedule and amount based on the weather. Rebates are available.
- Replace your sprinklers with rotating sprinkler nozzles and use 20% less water. Also make sure your sprinklers are not watering your sidewalk or driveway. Rebates are available.
- Remove your grass and install water-wise plants that thrive in our climate. There are a variety of beautiful plant options to choose from. For more information on drought-tolerant landscaping, visit the Los Angeles Coastal Cities Water Wise Gardening website and/or check out the Beverly Hills Garden Book.
- Sign up for the City of Beverly Hills’ FREE Water Tracker program which displays daily water use and will notify you of abnormally high daily usage and/or continuous water flow issues. Create an account at https://water.beverlyhills.org/.