[Source: http://www.redwoodcity.org/publicworks/water/tips%20and%20links.html] Via - Petrozine newsletter.

General :

• Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it such as watering a plant or garden, or for cleaning around your home.
• Verify that your home is leak free. Many homes have hidden water leaks. Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
• Repair dripping faucets. If your faucet is dripping at a rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 10220.61 Litres per year. This adds to the cost of water and sewer utilities and adds to your water bill. 
• Retrofit all household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors to slow the flow of water.
• Insulate your water pipes. You’ll get hot water faster and avoid wasting water while it heats up.
• If you have a well at home, check your pump periodically. Listen to hear if the pump kicks on and off while water is not being used. If it does, you have a leak. 

Bathrooms :

• Inside your house, bathroom facilities claim nearly 75% of the water used.
• Check for toilet tank leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the toilet bowl within 30 minutes.
• Check the toilet for worn out, corroded or bent parts. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, readily available and easily installed. (Flush as soon as test is done, since food coloring may stain tank.)
• If the toilet handle frequently sticks in the flush position letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it.
• Install a toilet dam or displacement device such as a bag or bottle to cut down on the amount of water needed for each flush. Be sure installation does not interfere with the operating parts.
• When purchasing new or replacement toilets, consider low-volume units which use less than half the water of older models. In many areas, low-volume units are required by local building codes.
• Take shorter showers. Replace your showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version. Some units are available that allow you to cut off the flow without adjusting the water temperature knobs.
• Place a bucket in the shower to catch excess water and use this to water plants. The same technique can be used when washing dishes or vegetables in the sink.
• In the shower, turn water on to get wet; turn off to lather up; then turn back on to rinse off. Repeat when washing your hair.
• Don’t let water run while shaving or washing your face. Brush your teeth first while waiting for water to get hot, then wash or shave after filling the basin.
• Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other similar waste in the trash rather than the toilet.  

Kitchens :

• Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded. Set the water level for the size of load you are using.
• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet.
• Store drinking water in the refrigerator. Dont let the tap run while you are waiting for cool water to flow.
• Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or use the defrost setting on your microwave.
• Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing of food waste, instead of using a garbage disposal. Garbage disposals also can add 50 percent to the volume of solids in the sewer system or they can lead to problems with a spetic tank.
• Consider installing an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you dont have to let the water run while it heats up. This will reduce water heating costs for your household.  

Outdoors : 

• When washing the car, use soap and water from a bucket. Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle for the final rinse.
• Use a broom to clean your driveway.
• Adjust sprinklers so only the lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street. Check and maintain your sprinkler system regularly.
• Do not water on windy days. A heavy rain means you dont have to water at all. Teach the family how to turn off an automatic sprinkler system in case a storm comes up during the sprinkling cycle.
• Always water during the coolest time of the day to minimize evaporation. Early morning is best, and the peak water consumption hours (4 p.m. - 9 p.m.) should be avoided.
• Minimize grass areas in your yard because less grass means less water demand. Replace with low-water use landscaping.
• Adjust your irrigation schedule to accommodate changes in seasonal water demand. Install an automatic timer.
• Buy a rain gauge to determine how much rain or irrigation your yard has received.
• When mowing, raise the blade on your lawn mower to at least three inches high, or to its highest level. Closely-cut grass makes the roots work harder, requiring more water.
• Drought-tolerant plants are more than just cacti! For landscaping, use native or other low water use plants. Check with your local nursery for the best native or low-water use trees, shrubs and plants.
• Using a layer of mulch around plants reduces evaporation and promotes plant growth. Water retaining basins also allow water to be concentrated around the plants.
• Use the principles of Xeriscape (pronounced ZERE-AH-SCAPE). This landscaping method uses native and drought-tolerant plants, mulch to hold in moisture, and grouping plants according to your water and light needs. 

General Facts :

• A human can live more than a month without food but only as much as one week without water.
• The average toilet uses 18.93 Litres to 26.5 Litres of water per flush.
• A shower can use 94.64 Litres to 189.27 Litres (18.93 Litres per minute).
• Just washing your hands can use up to 11.36 Litres of water (with tap running at 11.36 Litres per minute).
• Leaving the water running while you brush your teeth can waste 11.36 Litres of water (at 11.36 Litres per minute).
• Outdoor spigots can pump out 18.93 Litres to 37.85 Litres per minute.
• Automatic dishwashers use about 56.78 Litres per load.
• Washing one load of clothes in an automatic washer uses about 170.34 Litres.
• The average bath takes about 136.27 Litres of water.
• Cutting one minute off your shower time can save about 2649.79 Litres of water per month. 

Geography :

• The earth’s oceans cover about 140,500,000 square miles and contain almost 330,000,000 cubic miles of water.
• Scientists estimate that there may be enough ground-water in North America to cover the continent with a sheet of water almost 100 feet (30 meters) thick.
• The tallest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls (Venezuela) with a total drop of 3,212 feet (980m).
• River that carries most water in the world is the Amazon River (South America) which discharges about 4 million cubic feet every second into Atlantic Ocean.
• The longest river in the world is the Nile River (Africa) at 4,145 miles (6,670km).
• The world’s shortest river is the Roe River in Montana at 201 feet long.
• The deepest and oldest lake in the world is Lake Baikal (Siberia) at 6,365 ft. (1,940 m) deep and 25 million years old. Lake Baikal holds one-fifth of the earth’s available fresh water.
• The largest ocean in the world is the Pacific Ocean at 64 million sq. miles (166 million sq. km).
• The worlds largest (surface area) freshwater lake is Lake Superior (North America) with an area of 32,000 sq. miles (82,103 sq. km).
• Tutunendo, Columbia is the world’s wettest place with an average rainfall of 463.4 inches (annual mean).
• The world’s driest place is Desierto de Atacama (near Calma, Chile). It remained almost rainless for about 400 years (to 1971). 

Where’s the Water?

• 80% of the earth’s surface is water.
• 97% of the earth’s water is seawater.
• 2% of the earth’s water supply is locked in icecaps and glaciers.
• 1% of the earth’s water is available for drinking.
• About 60% of the weight of the human body is water.
• An elephant is 70% water.
• A tomato is 95% water.
• An egg is about 74% water.
• A watermelon is about 92% water.
• A piece of lean meat is about 70% water. 

 [Source : http://www.wichita.gov]