Published: Dec 15, 2017 | 19:23 PM

Water-Savvy Holiday Gift Ideas

Looking for an original gift for your friend, neighbor or family member? We’ve got you covered! These water-efficient presents will bring a holiday smile to anyone eager to conserve water.

5-minute shower timers and low-flow showerheads. It’s never too late to develop the good habit of conserving water. With either of these gifts, your loved one can enjoy a full-force shower while saving water and cutting the energy bill. They’re available at online shopping sites and local retail or home-improvement stores.

Holly shrubs. These Yuletide classics tolerate low watering and add a festive pop to a yard, with red berries in the winter and white fl owers in the spring. Among drought-tolerant species that thrive in Orange County are burford holly and toyon, which attract butterfl ies and birds. (Learn about them on rightscaperesources.com.) Be careful though, because eating holly berries can be dangerous to people or pets.

Rebates. Give the gift of water savings, and keep a little money in your pocket too.

A high-efficiency clothes washer uses 55 percent less water than a standard washer, saving about 75,000 gallons over its lifetime. Save up to $250 on your purchase.

Are you dreaming of a new landscape? Get $2 for every square foot of grass you replace with drought-tolerant landscaping.

Other rebates include $150 for high-efficiency toilets, $255 for weather-based irrigation controllers, $35 per rain barrel, and $2 for sprinkler nozzles.

See details at rightscapenow.com/rebates.