There's more to saving water inside than ordering your teenager to stop taking 20-minute showers.

Water providers in California, Texas and other drought-stricken places are encouraging consumers to cut back on indoor consumption — both by changing their behavior and upgrading water-wasting appliances and fixtures.

Doing so can be as simple as unscrewing a faucet aerator and installing a more efficient one for $2 or less. Some water utilities even given them out for free. On the high-end, though, the latest water-sipping clothes washers cost as much as $1,700. Some employ sensors to detect the size of your laundry load and calibrate the precise amount of water needed.

In recent years, drought conditions have plagued places like Atlanta that are accustomed to lots of rain, and that's helped put conservation on the map. "The drought has made our job easier" said Melinda Langston, director of water conservation for Atlanta's department of watershed management. "We have their attention now."

The Environmental Protection Agency, meanwhile, has launched a program for water conservation that's modeled after the EnergyStar program for appliances, light bulbs and numerous other products. Called WaterSense, it helps consumers identify water-saving products for inside and outside the home. So far, the EPA has approved more than 700 faucets and accessories, more than 250 high-efficiency toilets and is working on guidelines for shower heads.

The EPA requires the products to be independently tested to make sure consumers don't end up disappointed. "People won't buy them or use them if they don't work well," says Virginia Lee, the government program's team leader.

Here are some of the best ways to save water inside your home:

TOILETS: When it comes to conserving water indoors, the bathroom is the first place to look.

Replacing older toilets is "the single most effective way to reduce your water use" indoors, says Chris Brown, executive director of the California Urban Water Conservation Council.

Of the nearly 70 gallons of water, per person, that Americans use inside their homes daily, just about 27 percent, or 19 gallons, is flushed away, according to the American Water Works Association. Older toilets are big water hogs, using three, five or even seven gallons of water for every flush. The EPA says 900 billion gallons of water are wasted annually through older toilets.

That's a big problem for the people charged with managing local water supplies. Old toilets "tend to last a long time, and people don't typically change them out when they're decorating," said Melissa Essex Elliott, manager of water conservation for Denver's water agency.

So much water can be saved through high-efficiency toilets that water utilities in dry parts of country either give them away or provide rebates to encourage homeowners to install them. San Antonio's water utility gives up to two free toilets per household, using "dual flush" models that allow the user to dispense 0.8 gallons of water for liquid waste and 1.28 gallons for solids.

Through those giveaways, "we're acquiring water for our community at a much lower cost than a new water supply project," said Karen Guz, conservation director for the San Antonio area's main water utility, which has handed out 25,000 toilets a year for the past three years.

Toilets on the market since 1994 use 1.6 gallons per flush or less, but to qualify for the EPA's WaterSense label, toilets must use 20 percent less. The EPA, says an average household will save more than $90 annually on water bills by installing high-efficiency toilets. It has certified more than 250 toilet models for the WaterSense label, and some sell for as low as $130.

When high-efficiency toilets first hit the market in the mid-1990s, some didn't flush well, and consumers are still hesitant about buying them. But those in the industry say engineering advances have improved their quality dramatically, and assert that consumers shouldn't notice the difference any more.

"The design has gotten a lot more sophisticated," said Rob Zimmerman, senior staff engineer for water conservation at Kohler Co. These products work better than their old counterparts."

While do-it-yourselfers can try to install a toilet themselves, most people will rely on a plumber.

If that's too expensive, however, you can still cut down on your existing toilet's water consumption. One trick is to displace some of the water you would otherwise use by putting sand or pebbles inside some plastic bottles, filling them with water, and placing them inside the tank.

CLOTHES WASHERS: Washers are the No. 2 source of wasted water, using about 15 gallons per person per day. Much of that waste comes from older top-loading washers that use around 40 gallons per load. Nowadays, though, the most efficient washers can bring their consumption down to under 14 gallons per load.

Front-loading washers, which sell for $600 and up, are able to use less water because, instead of filling up and spinning, they fill partly with water, then tumble your clothes. To encourage consumers to purchase the newer models, some water utilities offer rebates for as much as $200.

While front-load washers are represented just over a third of total units sold last year, their market share as been on the rise, as consumers appreciate their water and energy savings and their stylish looks.

"The industry has quickly migrated to front-load technology," said John Weinstock, vice president of marketing for appliance maker LG Electronics, which sells washers and dryers in colors like "Riviera Blue" and "Wild Cherry Red" in addition to traditional white.

SHOWERS: New shower heads are required to use 2.5 gallons per minute or less, and low-flow models use as little as 1.5 gallons per minute.

While you may be skeptical that a water-efficient shower will be satisfying, advocates insist you'll never notice the difference. San Antonio's water agency, for instance, persuaded several four-star hotels to switch to more water-efficient shower heads, and hotel guests apparently weren't too disturbed.

Of course, limiting the time you spend in the shower is another way to save. But on a chilly morning, or after a stressful day, it's hard to escape a long shower. In that case, consider taking a bath. It uses far less water than most showers.

FAUCETS: They use about 16 percent of a typical home's water. But it's easy — and cheap — to cut down. You can do so by installing an aerator that limits water consumption to 1.5 gallons per minute by inserting a stream of air bubbles into the water flow. It's probably a better idea, though, to keep those in the bathroom, as it can be frustrating if you're trying to fill up a pot of water.

LEAKS: Believe it or not, leaks make up nearly 14 percent of all household water consumption. To find out whether you have a leak, one trick is to turn off all faucets and take a look at your water meter. If it's still running, you have a problem.

Another big source of leaks is actually the toilet. If you put food coloring in your toilet's tank and it begins to show up the bowl without flushing, there's something leaking.

Experts advise changing your toilet's flapper — the rubber piece that moves up and down sending water into the bowl — once a year. You can do so by turning off the water, flushing your the toilet, and removing the old flapper. If you take it to a local hardware store, you should be able to find the right match.