Hot weather in the Puget Sound usually results in big increases in water use. In summer, water use in our region nearly doubles, with most of the extra water going on lawns and gardens, said Seattle Public Utilities.

Residents in Seattle and surrounding areas used 198 million gallons of water on Sunday, while water consumption climbed to 225 million gallons on Monday and 227 million gallons on Tuesday. Wednesday, water use could hit 250 million gallons, officials said.

Even with the temperatures soaring in recent days, officials said consumption is much lower than on comparable days in recent years - largely thanks to the conservation efforts of residents.

For example, on August 10, 1981 and July 16, 1979 the temperature reached 98 degrees and water usage was 346 and 320 million gallons respectively. On Tuesday, July 28 the temperature reached 97 degrees and water usage was 227 million gallons.

Over the past 20 years, residents in Seattle and surrounding areas have cut their water consumption by more than 20 percent, even though the regional population increased almost 20 percent over the same period.

Tom Fox, Water Resources Manager at Seattle Public Utilities, said that conserving water now ensures more water for salmon runs and other wildlife.

"Our reservoirs are at normal levels for this time of year and the water supply outlook is good, but with the hot, dry weather likely to continue through August, conserving water is still important," said Fox. “The more water that we can conserve now will help us protect ourselves from a prolonged drought and ensure that we're providing sufficient water for salmon and other wildlife."

With temperatures forecast to hit triple figures Wednesday, saving water in the heat can be as easy as following these four tips from SPU:

- Water only between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. - Watering during the hotter parts of the day can result in loss of up to 50 percent of water through evaporation.

- Dig down in your soil to see if you need to water - Many people automatically water every one, two or three days, whether their plants need it or not. If the soil never dries out, plants don't get the air they need and can "drown." Plus, roots stay shallow and plants are more disease prone.

- Water deeply with drip or soaker hoses - Overhead sprinklers lose a lot of water to evaporation and runoff. Soaker hoses and drip irrigation deliver water straight to the roots and dramatically cut evaporation loss and runoff.

- Improve the efficiency of automatic sprinklers - Most automatic sprinklers waste half or more of the water they put out. Waste can be cut by proper scheduling based on the weather, upgrading to a "smart controller" to adjust systems automatically, or hiring an irrigation professional to fine tune the system.

Get more water-saving tips, find out if you are eligible for rebates or subscribe to the free electronic Savvy Gardener newsletter at www.savingwater.org or by calling 206-684-SAVE.