Water Conservation IQ

When is the best time of day to water your lawn?

• Early Morning and Evening

• In the Evening

• All Day Long

Answer explanation

Although it is fun to run through the sprinklers at the hottest time of day, your lawn should only be watered in the early morning or evening when it's cooler. Watering the yard when it's really hot outside causes the water to evaporate before the plants have time to drink it.

Where does the average home use the most water during the hotter months?

• Dishwasher

• Outdoor Watering

• Shower/Bath

• Washing Machine

Answer explanation

Just like you get thirsty when you are hot, plants are thirstier during hot and dry months. Some plants that are native to your area may not mind the hot weather as much and may not need as much extra water beyond what they get from rainfall alone.

Which of these ways to wash the car saves the most water?

• Wash it in the driveway with the garden hose

• Drive it into the lake

• Take it through a car wash that recycles water

Answer explanation

Many car washes save more water than if you wash your car at home. They do this by recycling the water that they use instead of letting it run down sewer drains. Tell your parents to search online to find a "water-efficient" car wash near your house. If you do wash it at home use a bucket instead of letting the hose run!

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

How much water does a family of four use every day?

• 40 Gallons

• 80 Gallons

• 240 Gallons

• 320 Gallons

Answer explanation

How can a small family use so much water? It may seem hard to believe, but the average American uses more than 80 gallons of water each day – to do things like flush toilets, run the faucet, and water plants. That's enough to fill more than 1,200 glasses of water! Think about the things you can do to save more water.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

True or False: It isn't important to save water because there is so much of it on Earth.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Although there is a lot of water on earth (75 percent of the earth's surface!), most of it is salt water so you can't drink it. It is very important to save the water we use every day because less than 1 percent of the earth's water can be used by people!

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NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

When washing the dishes, which method uses less water?

• Washing dishes under a running tap

• Washing dishes in a fully loader dishwasher

Answer explanation

To save the most amount of water in the kitchen, use your dishwasher only when it's filled all of the way with dirty dishes. You could also fill the sink with water instead of running the tap.

True or False: Keeping the water running when you brush your teeth wastes a lot of water

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Brushing your teeth is important but you can waste up to 8 gallons of water by leaving the faucet on when you brush your teeth in the morning and before bedtime. Turn off the tap and save water!

When you clean off after playing outside, which uses less water?

• Taking a 5 minute shower

• Taking a bath

Answer explanation

While it might be more fun to splash in a warm bath, it takes 70 gallons of water to fill a tub but only 10 to 13 gallons for a five minute shower. If you do take a bath, put the stopper in the drain right away and change the temperature as you fill the tub.

Which of these everyday objects is a water-saving tool?

• A bucket

• A clock

• A broom

• All of these

Answer explanation

Put a bucket under the tap while you make the water the right temperature. The water collected can be used to water plants or fill up your pet’s water bowl. Use a clock to keep your showers under five minutes. Use a broom instead of the hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk.

Which of these activities wastes the MOST water per day in the average home?

• Running the tap while washing dishes

• Using a garbage disposal

• A leaky toilet

• A long shower

Answer explanation

A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day! Ask to help your parents test your toilets for leaks. Place a drop of food coloring in the tank and if the color shows in the bowl for flushing, you have a leak