Federal officials have announced that Arizona, California, and Nevada will need to reduce their collective water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually over the next two years as part of a new plan from the Bureau of Reclamation. The average American uses around 82 gallons of water per day at home, according to the EPA, but experts say that small changes in daily habits can add up to significant drops in water usage. By implementing practices such as running full loads on dishwashers and washing machines, using low-flow faucets, and fixing household leaks, individuals can save hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water per year. According to the EPA, household leaks waste more than 1 trillion gallons annually nationwide.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-27,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
For many Americans, accessing fresh, clean water is as simple as turning a tap.
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accessing → access → tap
But amid a growing water crisis in the West, and periodic droughts in other parts of the country, constant water access is not a given.
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access → grow → country
“it's a resource that, in this case, can quite literally run dry,” says John Atkinson, an associate professor of environmental engineering at the University of Buffalo.
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Atkinson → run → Buffalo
Earlier this month, federal officials announced sharp cuts in how much water Arizona, California and Nevada would be allowed to take from the Colorado River over the next two years as the water levels for the nation's two largest reservoirs reach record lows.
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levels → announce → lows
Under the Bureau of Reclamation’s new plan, the three states will have to collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually over the next two years—or potentially face larger cuts.
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states → have → cuts
The average American uses roughly 82 gallons of water a day at home, according to the EPA.
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American → use → EPA
Much of that water use is the result of habits that most people rarely give a second thought— like leaving the sink running while washing dishes or setting up an automatic sprinkler system to maintain a green yard.
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people → give → yard
Experts in water sustainability say that there are small steps they take at home to help them save water.
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them → say → water
Qizhong George Guo, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rutgers University, notes that there are plenty of small habits that can add up to significant drops in water usage.
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that → note → usage
Only run the dishwasher or washing machine when you have full ones.
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you → run → ones
If you’re washing dishes by hand, be mindful to not leave the tap running when it's not in use.
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it → wash → use
Many older appliances use more water.
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appliances → use → water
Switching to newer models, which tend to be more energy and water-efficient, could yield savings in the long run.
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which → switch → run
“The fixtures have become much more efficient in the last 20 years or so—from dishwashers to showerheads, to faucets,” says Guo.
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Guo → become → faucets
Switching to low-flow faucets, which use less water than older models, are “a low-hanging fruit,” says Helen Dahlke, professor of integrated hydrologic sciences at the University of California, Davis.
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Dahlke → switch → California
“You can save several hundreds of gallons of water per year, and that will also show up on your water bill as a benefit.”
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that → save → benefit
When looking for a newer model, keep an eye out for products which have a WaterSense label, which meet EPA standards and can save up to 700 gallons per year.
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which → look → year
Another tip: Check around your home for leaks, which can add up to a lot of wasted water over time.
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which → check → time
“People would be surprised by how much water gets wasted due to leaks,” says Atkinson.
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Atkinson → surprise → leaks
According to the EPA, household leaks waste more than 1 trillion gallons annually nationwide.
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leaks → accord → gallons
Where households use the most water
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households → use → water
“It’s the staple picture of the American home—a nice house and a green lawn in front of it,” says Dahlke.
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Dahlke → ’ → it
“But in regions where water is scarce, you should really think, is it worth it spending several hundreds of dollars a year and several hundreds of gallons a year just keeping green grass that has no use?”
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that → think → use
Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for nearly one-third of all residential water use, totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day.
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irrigation → estimate → day
Dahlke bucked that trend by embracing xeriscaping, or drought-tolerant landscaping.
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Dahlke → buck → xeriscaping
Instead of a traditional green yard, she's planted native plants and flowers that attract local pollinators.
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that → plant → pollinators
She’s noticed bees and hummingbirds have begun stopping by.
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bees → notice → ?
“I get a lot of compliments from the neighbors when they walk by,” she says.
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she → get → neighbors
