Did you know that if everyone in the United States used just 1 less gallon of water per shower each day, we could save 85 billion gallons of water per year?

Conserving water is vital to the health of the Gallatin River. Big Sky is drought-prone, receiving less than 20 inches of precipitation each year. Keeping water in the river sustains a healthy fishery, benefits river recreation, and serves our community and our neighbors downstream.

The Gallatin River Task Force launched the Big Sky Water Conservation Program in Fall 2016 to help the Big Sky community save water. Residents living within the Big Sky Area Resort Tax District may be eligible to receive rebates for installing water-efficient toilets, showerheads, and washing machines.

Saving water is easy, but it requires that we establish new habits in our homes. Here are some simple tips to conserve water in your home:

1) Select the proper pan size for cooking. Large pans may require more cooking water than necessary.

2) When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.

3) If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a WATERSENSE® labeled model.

4) Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Fix it and start saving gallons.

5) Designate one glass for your drinking water each day, or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses you wash.

6) Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.

7) Apply for a rebate from the Big Sky Water Conservation Program to replace old showerheads, washing machines, and toilets with new water efficient models.

Tips and graphic from wateruseitwisely.com.

The Big Sky Water Conservation Program is supported by the Big Sky Water and Sewer District and the Big Sky Area Resort Tax District.