The United Nations reports that 400 million people are currently facing severe water shortages worldwide.  And the problem is getting worse.

Large cities and the American west will be increasingly water-stressed in the coming decades.

So here are a few tips on how to save water in your own home.  We start in the bathroom, where we use 60% of our household water.

Install an on/off valve between your shower arm and showerhead.  This temporarily shuts off the flow while maintaining the temperature so you can shut the water off while you lather up, or while you shave.

Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank.  If the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired.  Fixing even the smallest leak can save 2,700 gallons of water each year.

You can make your toilet use less water when you flush by sinking a half-gallon bottle filled with water and sealed into your toilet tank.

When washing your clothes, avoid the permanent press cycle because that uses an additional five gallons of water for the extra rinse.