Although droughts are natural events, there's a lot you can do to help lessen the impact of a drought.

In addition to following our tips on conserving water, you can do the following:

• Keep outdoor watering to a minimum. If you must water your lawn, it's best to water only in the early morning or evening.
• Double-check for leaks in faucets, toilets, hoses, etc., and repair them, if necessary.
• Add water-saving devices to toilets, faucets, showers, etc.
• Avoid washing cars, bicycles, lawn furniture, etc., when water is in short supply.

If a drought becomes very severe, officials may call for:

• Rationing, such as asking households to cut back water use by a certain percentage
• Laws, making it illegal to waste water by over watering, not fixing a leak, etc.
• Restrictions to control outdoor watering (watering only at specific times, watering only with a hand-held hose, etc.)
• Citations or fines for violations