San Diego - Warmer temperatures and more daylight hours mean one thing… spring is right around the corner! For many people this means it's time for the traditional "spring cleaning" around the house. For others, it also means it's time to prepare their gardens for a season of successful growth. While getting everything tidied up both inside and outside the home, it's also a good idea to check your indoor and outdoor water use. Small improvements can add up to big water and monetary savings.

Here's some other ways you can incorporate water conservation into your spring-cleaning routine and landscape preparation:

• Check the toilets, faucets, showers, and sprinklers for leaks, and replace valves as necessary. You can save up to 150 gallons a week for each leak. For a comprehensive inspection, sign up for the City of San Diego's free Residential Water Survey Program. A trained surveyor will analyze both your indoor and outdoors water use, and will make recommendations as needed. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 619-570-1999.
  
  
• While you're cleaning out your bathroom, install a low-flow showerhead. This type of showerhead can save you up to 75 gallons of water per week.
  
  
• If you are starting to plan for your garden, visit the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College to gather some ideas on how you can create a water-wise garden that will be healthy and beautiful for the spring and summer seasons. The Garden has free admission and parking. For more information on the Water Conservation Garden, including hours of operation and special events, call 619-660-0614 or visit their website at www.thegarden.org.
  
  
• In case we get some spring showers, make sure you clean out and redirect downspout gutters toward trees, plants and other landscaped areas. Mother Nature's rain will then take care of watering your landscape at no cost. Prevent water, as well as your money, from being wasted by turning off your irrigation system when its rains.
  
  
• Delay regular lawn watering during the first cool weeks of spring to encourage deep root growth to make a lawn healthier for the summer. It's also the perfect time to adjust your irrigation schedule. To create a free watering schedule tailored to your plants and lawn, visit the Water Conservation Program's website at www.sandiego.gov/water/conservation to access the free Landscape Watering Calculator.
  
  
• If you plan on cleaning your driveway, patio or sidewalk, remember to use a broom, not a hose. This will save you up to 100 gallons of water and prevent run-off of pollutants into our storm drains and beaches.
  
  
• Cover your pool when it is not in use to prevent water evaporation. This will also prevent leaves and other dirt from falling in.

Spring-cleaning does not seem like a big chore when it results in long-term water savings and lowered utility bills. Try implementing a few tips at a time, and before you know it, using water efficiently will be second nature to you. "Spring" into water conservation and make it a part of your life.

The Water Conservation Program reduces water demand through promoting or providing incentives for the installation of hardware that provides permanent water savings, and by providing services and information to help San Diegans make better decisions about water use. For more information about Water Conservation, visit www.sandiego.gov/water or call 619.515.3500.