If you notice a dripping faucet or shower head, that’s also wasting water (and adding to the sewer bill). Be sure to fix any faucets that start leaking as well! It’s also a good idea to replace your toilet flapper every year or install an adjustable flapper instead.

Low-flow fixtures use 1. 5 gallons (5. 7 L) of water per minute maximum, where normal fixtures use about 2. 2 gallons (8. 3 L) of water per minute. You’ll also save money on your energy bills with low-flow fixtures because you’ll use less energy to heat the water.

Try using a timer while you shower to keep you on schedule. It’s okay to take a longer shower every now and again if you use them for self-care and relaxation, but they should be an exception—not a habit. Always take a shower instead of a bath if you can. Filling up an entire tub for a bath is much more likely to waste water.

The only reason you shouldn’t use a dishwasher is if you only need to rinse off 1 or 2 dishes quickly. Otherwise, stick to machine washing!

Similarly, fill a bowl with water and use that to rinse off produce instead of running the sink to do it. Pro tip: You can also avoid running the faucet for a long time to get cold drinking water. Instead, just keep a pitcher of cold drinking water in the fridge.

Roughly 22% of indoor water use comes from laundry alone! Maximize your load size to reduce that portion of the sewer bill.

You could also invest in high-efficiency toilets for all your bathrooms, saving thousands of gallons of water each year.

If you enjoy having a garden or lawn outside your home, try planting drought-resistant plants and grass. That will reduce the need to water your lawn, also saving water.

If you don’t use a rain sensor, at least be sure you turn off an automatic sprinkler when there’s rain in the immediate weather forecast.

Evaporation might not seem like a huge deal, but many pools hold around 22,000 gallons (83,000 L) of water. Thus, evaporation can actually waste thousands of gallons each year.

Keep in mind: extra plumbing and new appliances may cost you more money right now, but they’ll also save you lots of money in the long run with your reduced sewer and water bills!