Conservation of water is important to future generations

It's a jolting thought: life without water. Can't drink. Brown lawns. Swimming's out. Piles and piles of dishes. And don't forget about flushing. Americans like water and they need plenty of it. But supplies are running low. What can be done? Start conserving and make every drop count.

The Texas Agricultural Extension Service and Texas Water share the following tips to conserve water.

In the kitchen:

-- only run the dishwasher with a full load, and scrape dishes clean instead of rinsing them before washing.

-- use garbage disposal sparingly.

-- place a stopper in the sink to wash pots and pans, rather than turning on the faucet each time a rinse is needed.

In the bathroom:

-- install low-flow showerheads

-- take showers instead of baths. Showers with low-flow showerheads can use less water than baths.

-- use a toilet tank displacement device to reduce the volume of water in the tank but provide enough water for flushing.

In the laundry: -- wash only a full load with the lowest possible water-level setting

-- use cold water as often as possible.

Outdoors:

-- water lawns early in the morning or late at night to avoid evaporation and avoid watering lawns in windy weather.

-- use drip irrigation systems for bedded plants, trees or shrubs.

-- use a broom rather than the hose to "sweep" walks and driveways.