New Jersey American Water is asking many of its customers in Monmouth and Ocean counties to begin conserving water.

American Water is asking customers to start conserving now to prevent mandatory conservation down the line.

Some of the best ways to conserve water include:

Follow the voluntary odd/even watering schedule for irrigation, watering only on days that match your street address number.

Water early or late in the day to minimize evaporation. The best times for this are typically between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Set your lawn mower one notch higher to make your lawn more drought-tolerant.

Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk, driveway, or patio.

Avoid washing your car, topping off water fountains or pools, and any other non-essential outdoor water uses.

For more water conservation tips, click here.