Water conservation tips to avoid fines for Fresno and Clovis residents

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Valley residents will be required to reduce their water usage anywhere from 25% to 36%. Fines for overuse will get your attention this summer so every gallon counts on your water bill.

Swimming pool owners might not realize how much water evaporates into the air during the summer. A pool cover could help you save water.

Ben Bogdanof of Vineyard Pools explained, "The evaporation could be up to 90-95% by covering that pool so you could go from losing 600 gallons a month to losing twenty or thirty."

Every leaky faucet and hose could cost you money. Outdoors is where you can save the most since so much water has gone to keeping the grass green.

Fresno Water Conservation Supervisor Nora Laikam said, "Outdoor watering is the biggest use. About 60% of water used is used outdoors."

The last thing you want to do is flush money down the toilet - which represents 27% of indoor water use.

Laikam said, "Mostly the water inside the use of the toilet would be the highest use."

A leaking toilet can waste 10 to 20 gallons an hour. Washing machines ranked number two for indoor water use. Top load machines use over 40 gallons a load but newer front load machines can cut that number in half.

Laikam said, "The front load washers are the water savers."

The city of Fresno offers free leak surveys for people who don't know why their usage is going up.

"We provide a shower head for the customer and these are low flow," said Laikam.

Showers ranked third on the indoor water use list so it's best to keep them under five minutes.