Low-flow showerheads and faucets can reduce your water bill by 30 percent to 50 percent. Look for products with the WaterSense label—WaterSense is the Energy Star of water products—that indicate water flows of 2 gallons per minute or less for showerheads and 1.5 gpm or less for faucets. If you don’t want to replace a faucet, just replace the aerator, which screws on the end. The most efficient aerators reduce water use to 1 gpm.

More expensive faucets from companies like Kohler and Toto can use motion sensors to automate the water flow. Toto’s EcoPower faucets, for example, use the flow of water to power the motion sensor for hands-free operation. (Toto’s LED-lit Neorest II Lavatory with sensing technology is shown.)

Replacing old toilets with low-flow WaterSense toilets, which use 20 percent less water than the federal standard, can also save a bundle. A family of four could save $90 a year, says WaterSense. Also consider dual-flush toilets that handle solid and liquid waste differently.