How to Save Water (And Not Get Fined) In This Drought

California is facing "perhaps the worst drought that [it] has ever seen since records (began) about 100 years ago," announced Governor Jerry Brown in a recent press conference after declaring a drought emergency for the state. Here are four easy ways to minimize your water usage until the rains come again.

Reducing your water usage around the house without significantly impacting your daily routine is easy. The simplest means is to find and fix any leaky faucets, toilets, or shower-heads you might have. Toilets alone can waste up to 200 gallons a day if left running.

To check, got out to your water meter and note the reading. Then turn off all your faucets and don't use any water for two hours. If the reading on the meter has changed at all during that two-hour period, you've got a leak somewhere.

Similarly, you should look into replacing your old 6 gpf toilet with one of the low-flow variety. Same goes for water-conserving shower-heads, faucets, and hot water heaters. California law already dictates that these fixtures be installed in all new construction (and all new remodels), but that only went into effect a few weeks ago.

That's not to say that spending hundreds on new bathroom fixtures is the only solution. There are plenty of things you can do to save water that won't cost a dime. It's all about efficiency:

Just because there's a drought on doesn't mean you'll have to sacrifice your lawn and garden. You'll just need to get creative in how you care for it.

One of the easiest mistakes to make during a drought is to keep watering like you've always done. Don't do that. Install moisture sensors like the Koubachi, or set up an automated system rather than sticking with the existing regimen.

It's also not just how much but also how you water. Trees and shrubs with deeper root systems need longer but less frequent watering, using a bubbler or soaker hose than the sprayers you use for shallow-rooted annuals. Either way, make sure you only water your plants in the cooler early morning hours in order to minimize evaporative water loss.

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How to Save Water (And Not Get Fined) In This Drought