Living with drought makes water conservation, landscape management and fire safety more important than ever

Here’s what you can do:

Reduce conventional lawn size, or eliminate lawn area entirely— use EBMUD’s Lawn Conversion Rebate.
If you retain some conventional lawn follow these practices:
- water less frequently, or hand-water
- clip grass higher (set mower to cut grasses to a 3-4” height rather than 1-2”)
- leave grass trimmings on the lawn as a water-retaining mulch
- require or equip your gardener to use only electric- or hand-powered landscaping equipment
- never use chemical fertilizers or herbicides which harm our local wildlife, watershed, pets and San Francisco Bay
Choose landscape plants which are native to our area of California and have low-water needs. California plants native to the East Bay generally require less water, are more disease resistant, are acclimated to our soils and have far superior ecosystem benefits.
If using automatic sprinklers, keep them well maintained.
Install an app-based water monitoring device which alerts you to unusually high water usage, that may indicate a leak. Apply for an EBMUD rebate.
Use efficient sprinkler heads which deliver streaming water rather than sprinkler heads which spray mist, so more water reaches the soil and plant roots. Where effective, install high-efficiency drip-irrigation.
Allow plants’ own duff (leaves, blooms, seed pods, etc) to remain as a natural mulch. Add your backyard compost to plant duff to augment soil nutrients, retain moisture and protect roots from overheating.

The primary interior residential uses of water are:

Ideas for reducing interior water use:

Take “military” showers (or cold ‘military’ showers— then they’ll really be short!) Piedmont Connect has 3-minute shower timers available— Connect With Us to request a shower timer, while our supply lasts.
Remember the adage from the 70s drought: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.”
If you’re not keen on that idea, invest in modern low-water use, dual-flush toilets— look for WaterSense models certified by the US EPA— they’re great!
Install simple sink faucet and showerhead aerators which reduce water use without your water flow feeling like a trickle. EBMUD offers a FREE conversion kit.
Invest in a front-loading HE (high-efficiency) washing machine. Front loading washing machines use approximately 30% less water per load than old-fashioned top-loading machines and are gentler on your clothes. Choose an Energy Star model which uses electricity efficiently, too.

As humans, we use water whether we’re at home or away. Use water mindfully even when away from home. For example:

Use fewer towels, robes and bed linens when staying away from home.
Don’t ask for water at a restaurant unless you intend to drink it.
Patronize ‘green’ resorts which conserve water (e.g. golf courses and lodging which are Audubon Sanctuary Certified)