WATER CONSERVATION TIPS
Even
when the water supply is adequate, as it is in our community,
Conservation is
simply a wise use of a precious resource. Conservation
can contribute to a
healthy environment, reduce your water bill, and
Assure an ample water
supply for our future.
Here are some suggestions and
reminders for you to use water wisely!
ECONOMIZE – Be aware of the
amount of water you use, and look for ways to use less.
- Fill sinks or bowls with water instead of letting water run when you
wash, shave, brush your teeth, or clean fruit and vegetables.
- A dishwasher can use up to 20 gallons per cycle. So, wash only full
loads.
- Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator so you won’t
need to run the water from the tap until it turns cold.
- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.
REPAIR LEAKS – Lots of water flows from little leaks. Tighten up
your home and save.
- Conduct a leak check. First, turn off all faucets and taps. Then,
read your water meter after a half-hour, recheck your meter. If the dial has moved, you
have a leak somewhere.
- Leaking faucets as small as 1/16 inch can drip away 100 gallons very
quickly. Replace worn washers and valve seats.
- Toilets are notorious for their silent leaks and can steal thousands
of gallons of water. Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and wait a few
minutes. If the color shows up in the bowl, you probably have a leak around the ball at
the bottom of the tank.
INSTALL WATER SAVING DEVICES
– Easy to do and they yield long
term results.
- Modify or replace your showerhead. A flow restrictor can be inserted
into your showerhead to reduce the rate of flow to about 3 gallons per minute.
- To reduce the amount of water used per flush in older toilets, place
two plastic quart containers weighted down with pebbles into your tank.
SAVE OUTDOORS – Hundreds of gallons a day are poured needlessly onto lawns and gardens.
- Develop an awareness of when your lawn needs watering. A simple test
is to step on the lawn briefly and see if the grass blades spring back up (no water
necessary) or tend to stay flat (time to sprinkle deeply).
- Water early in the morning to avoid excess evaporation from the hot
summer sun and afternoon winds.
- The key to successful lawn irrigation is to water slowly, deeply and
infrequently. Really soak the lawn by applying an inch or more of water (an empty tuna can
helps determine one inch), but let it dry out between applications. This method produces
deep root systems and thus a more drought tolerant lawn.
- Arrange sprinklers carefully to avoid watering paved areas.
- Mulch flowers and vegetable gardens, shrubs, and trees to hold more
moisture in the soil.
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