How to Prepare for a Drought

Droughts can occur in any part of the United States at any time of year, causing shortages in water and food supplies. You can help to avoid these and other problems by taking some simple steps to help conserve water at home.

Things You'll Need

• Low Flow Faucets
• Rocks (fish Tanks)
• Aquarium Thermometers
• Fish Tanks
• Toilets
• Bottled Water
• Bubble Baths

Instructions

1. Check your faucets, pipes and toilets for leaks every so often. Even a small faucet leak can waste as much as 20 gallons of water.

2. Replace your shower heads with low-flow heads, which use less water. Standard shower heads use 5 to 7 gallons a minute, while low-flow heads use 2 1/2 gallons a minute.

3. Take shorter showers or opt for a bath instead.

4. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth, instead of leaving the faucet running.

5. Run your dishwasher only when it is full, and select the water-saving cycle, if you have that feature.

6. Recycle water from a fish tank to water your plants, as it acts as a fertilizer for plants.

7. Consider buying a low-flow toilet to replace your existing model. This move could cut your home's water consumption by 20 percent. Some communities have rebate programs to reimburse part of the expense.

8. Find out whether your toilet is leaking. Place 10 drops of food coloring in the tank and check 15 minutes later to see whether any of the color appears in the bowl. If so, this means you have a leak and should call a plumber.

9. Store drinking water in your refrigerator. This way you won't have to let the water run in the sink to get it cold.

10. Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator, instead of running it under hot water.

11. Take extra precautions to prevent fires, which occur most often in kitchens. Stay in the room while appliances are on, and avoid wearing loose clothing while cooking.

Tips & Warnings

• If a water ban is issued for your community, be sure to follow the rules. Failure to do so can result in fines and can mean less water in an emergency.

• Plan ahead and encourage your neighbors, family and friends to do the same. If everyone conserves water before the drought occurs, a potential disaster may be avoided.

• A drought that occurs in conjunction with a heat wave can be especially serious because more water is needed during dry, hot conditions.