The National Ground Water Association has announced Sept. 13 as Protect Your Groundwater Day. To participate, the organization has provided some conservation tips.

In addition to state or local restrictions on water use, here are some basic indoor and outdoor water conservation tips:

Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it, such as watering your indoor plants or garden.

Repair dripping faucets and toilets. One drop per second wastes 2,700 gallons of water a year.

Retrofit all household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors.

Choose appliances that are water and energy-efficient.

Don't run a faucet when you're not using the water, such as while brushing your teeth.

Only run the dishwasher when it's fully loaded and use the "light wash" feature if available to use less water.

Store drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap until the water is cool.

Avoid wasting water waiting for it to get hot. Capture it for other uses such as plant watering.

Operate clothes washers only when they are fully loaded, or set the water level to match the size of your load.

Check your well pump periodically. If the automatic pump turns on and off while water is not being used, you could have a leak.

Plant native and/or drought-tolerant grasses, ground cover, shrubs and trees.

Install irrigation devices that are most water-efficient for each use. Micro and drip irrigation and soaker hoses are examples of efficient devices.

Use mulch to retain moisture in the soil.

Avoid buying recreational water toys that require a constant stream of water.Use a shut-off nozzle on the hose that can be adjusted down to a fine spray.

Position sprinklers so that water lands on the lawn and shrubs and not on paved areas.

Raise the mower blade to a higher level. A higher cut encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soil moisture.

To learn more about protecting groundwater, visit www.wellowner.org.

Here are some tips to help conserve water:

• Please, turn off the water while you brush your teeth, shave or wash your hands.
• You'll use less water if you use mulch in your garden and it cuts down on weeds.
• Check for leaks. Turn off all taps -- watch your meter. If it's moving, you might by wasting water.
• Install low-flow toilets, seriously. You can use 30% less water.
• Run your sprinkler at night between 10 and 6. Heat and wind can steal 60% of the water.
• If it rains, turn off your sprinklers for a few days.
• Don't cut your grass too short. Longer grass holds the water better.
• Overwatering is not good for your plants or our city. Twice a week will work.
• Create a more interesting lawn by using native plants and trees that are water-efficient.
• Wash your car with a bucket of soapy water, not just the hose.
• Removing leaves and other debris from your sidewalk or deck? Sweep it instead of using the hose.
• Use hoses and sprinkler heads the drip water slowly, close to the ground.
• Make a personal commitment to water your lawn only twice a week. It's good for your pocketbook and our city. Reduce Your Use.
• Watering your garden? Use water from the pool, hot tub or ice-chest instead of the hose.
• Fix leaky hoses and faucets.
• Notice a business or resident wasting water on a regular basis? Call the City, we want to know.
• Take shorter showers. You can save 3 gallons of water for every minute.
• Install water-efficient devices in the bathroom and kitchen.
• Cut-back on using your garbage disposal by starting a compost pile.
• Wash your clothes by hand when you can and match the load size with the machine.
• Concrete won't grow. Don't water your driveway, sidewalks or street.
• Install water efficient shower heads and faucets with a flow rate of 2 gallons per minute.
• Collect Rainwater - it's great for your garden and lawn.
• Need to thaw food. Soak it - don't keep the water running.

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Even seemingly small steps toward sustainability and for water conservation can save colleges and universities money and attract environmentally conscious students. Besides, these steps, however modest, are “the right thing to do,” said Eddie Elsberry, director of environmental compliance and sustaina­bility at Berry College.

For example, though installing low-flow toilets may cost around $200 each, they save money and send a message, said Eric Lindberg, Rome-Floyd County director of environmental services.

Low-flow toilets — and any water-conserving step for that matter — save money because of the costs associated with treating water before its reintroduction into the supply.

“It takes energy to get water pumped, and it takes money to produce the chemicals that the water is treated with,” Elsberry said.

In terms of energy, the best way to save money and reduce environmental impact is reducing use of hot water and buying water-efficient appliances, according to Alice Keyes, planning and policy adviser for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

Keyes cited low-flow showerheads as a great place to start. “They make sure only 2.5 gallons of water are used per minute,” she said.

Attracting students

There is also evidence that sustainability may attract students to colleges and universities that can demonstrate efforts to achieve it.

According to studies by the President’s Climate Commitment organization, 25 percent of college applicants say that sustain­a­bility impacts their decision.

Websites and publications designed to help parents and students make college choices are beginning to take notice, as well.

The Princeton Review recently published a “green rating honor roll” listing the top colleges in terms of striving for and achieving sustainability, a feature article that includes a list of specific sustainable features or selling points at the colleges on the honor roll.

And a website called Green Student U publishes a list of colleges with green campuses, those that demonstrate environmentally friendly practices.

Christine Clolinger, a senior environmental science major at Berry College and student carbon neutrality manager of ECoS, said the growing number of websites like greenstudentU.com and that of Princeton Review are evidence that more and more students are considering sustainability when making their college decisions.

USA Today recently published an article describing the trend showing students choosing more eco-friendly universities over those that have not made sustainability a priority. In addition, because enthusiasm for sustain­a­bility has grown among the general population, there is a higher demand for jobs in the field, creating an opportunity for college students to earn degrees in those fields, according to the article.