Drought preparedness involves taking proactive steps to minimize the impact of water scarcity before a drought is officially declared. Water scarcity is a recurring issue in many regions, making advance planning a necessary aspect of home and yard maintenance. Preparing your property for dry conditions helps ensure the resilience of your household water supply and the surrounding landscape. Taking action early reduces stress on public water systems and protects your home against the consequences of a prolonged lack of rain.
Immediate Household Water Management
Focusing on the interior of the home provides the quickest reductions in water usage. A small, constant leak can waste hundreds of gallons of water daily, making leak detection and repair a top priority. Checking for silent leaks, particularly in toilets, can be done by placing a few drops of food coloring in the tank and observing if the color seeps into the bowl without flushing.
Installing low-flow fixtures is an immediate and high-impact strategy for conserving water inside the home. Modern low-flow showerheads restrict flow to less than 2 gallons per minute (GPM), down from the standard 2.5 GPM, while still maintaining comfortable water pressure. Toilets offer the greatest potential savings, with newer WaterSense-labeled models using less than 1.5 gallons per flush (GPF), a significant reduction from older models that consume 3.5 to 7 GPF.
Changing personal habits also provides low-cost water savings that contribute to drought resilience. Simple behavioral adjustments, such as turning off the faucet while brushing teeth or shaving, can save several gallons per person each day. Limiting showers to five minutes or less is an effective way to conserve both water and the energy needed to heat it. These combined efforts can reduce a household’s total water consumption by 20% to 60%, substantially easing the demand on local water sources.
Long-Term Landscape and Exterior Adaptation
Since exterior watering often accounts for the largest share of residential water use, long-term modifications to the yard are necessary for drought readiness. Adopting xeriscaping principles involves redesigning the landscape to reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental irrigation. This approach focuses on using native and drought-tolerant plants adapted to the local climate and its typical rainfall patterns.
Implementing hydrozoning is a core principle of xeriscaping, requiring the grouping of plants with similar water needs into distinct zones. Placing the plants that need the most water closest to the house allows for efficient, targeted watering. Plants requiring little to no irrigation can be placed in outer areas, ensuring water is never wasted.
Improving soil health is a fundamental step in drought preparation, as the soil acts as the primary reservoir for moisture. Amending the soil with organic matter, such as compost, increases its ability to absorb and retain water, making it available to plant roots for longer periods. Applying a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch, such as wood chips or shredded bark, further assists by insulating the soil, suppressing weeds, and reducing surface evaporation.
Passive water collection systems provide a non-potable water source for irrigation and other outdoor needs. Rain barrels and cisterns capture runoff from the roof, storing it for use during dry spells, which reduces dependence on municipal water supplies. A standard rain barrel typically holds 55 gallons, while larger cisterns can store much more. This reserve can be used for watering non-edible plants or washing cars, even when restrictions are in place.
Community and Regulatory Readiness
Understanding the local context for water management is an important step in preparing the home for a drought. Water providers typically employ a tiered system of restrictions (Stage 1, Stage 2, etc.), with each stage imposing progressively more stringent mandatory reductions, ranging from 10% to 50%. Monitoring local media and utility announcements for the current drought stage allows homeowners to comply with specific rules, such as limiting outdoor watering to certain days or banning the use of potable water on non-functional turf.
Financial preparedness should include an awareness of how utility rate structures might change during a water shortage. Some water providers implement drought surcharges, which can be applied to usage above a certain allocation, sometimes increasing the per-unit cost by up to 100% to deter discretionary water use. Awareness of these potential increases can motivate early conservation measures and prevent unexpectedly high utility bills.
Preparing for a complete loss of water service requires maintaining an emergency supply of potable water, separate from any irrigation stores. The guideline is to store at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and basic sanitation needs. A minimum of a three-day supply is recommended, though a two-week supply is advisable in areas prone to extended emergencies. This water should be stored in food-grade containers in a cool, dark place and rotated every six months if not commercially bottled.