(KANSAS CITY, Kan.) — With the heat and humidity of summer near, water usage and consumption can go up. The Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has compiled a list of recommendations to help conserve this precious natural resource, while also reducing the energy usage needed to process and deliver water to homes and businesses – which can lead to a reduction in overall utility costs. These include:

Inside Your Home:

In the kitchen:

• When cooking peel and clean vegetables in a large bowl of water instead of under running water.
• Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes.
• Only run the dishwasher when it's full.
• Only use the garbage disposal when necessary (composting is a great alternative).
• Install faucet aerators.

In the bathroom:

• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Turn off the water to brush teeth, shave and soap up in the shower. Fill the sink to shave.
• Repair leaky toilets. Add 12 drops of food coloring into the tank, and if color appears in the bowl one hour later your toilet is leaking.
• Install a toilet dam, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads.

Laundry:

• Run full loads of laundry.
• When buying a washing machine, get a water saver model that can adjust to the load size.

Outside Your Home:

• Set the mower blades to 2-3 inches high. Longer grass shades the soil improving moisture retention.
• Only water the lawn when necessary. Avoid doing so on windy and hot days and only water in the morning or late evening to reduce evaporation.
• When washing a car wet it quickly, then use a bucket of water to wash the car and only turn on the hose to final rinse.
• Always use a broom to clean walkways, driveways, and porches rather than hosing off these areas.

For more information on water and energy conservation and savings tips go to www.BPU.com. BPU also provides helpful information on water and energy savings through videos on its YouTube channel.