Water Conservation Tips

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At the City Council meeting of June 18, 2007, the City Engineer presented information regarding rainfall totals through June 1, 2007. As of that date, the City had received only 44 percent of the anticipated normal rainfall for the season. This rainfall amount triggered a Stage I alert pursuant to the City's 2005 Urban Water Management Plan. A Stage I Water Shortage is a request to our residents and businesses to voluntarily reduce water consumption. It’s important to be aware that the water supply for our residents, businesses, and new developments is in limited supply. Water conservation is the most cost-effective and environmentally sound way to reduce our demand for water.

Listed below are some suggestions to consider putting into practice for residential water customers. Applying these simple, common sense tips could reduce your monthly water bills by up to $20 to $40 per month, depending on such household characteristics as household size, yard size, number of cars or number of children in the household.

In the kitchen and laundry

• If you wash dishes by hand--and that's the best way--don't leave the water running for rinsing. If you have two sinks, fill one with rinse water. If you only have one sink, use a spray device or short blasts instead of letting the water run. Saves 200 to 500 gallons a month.
  
• When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount of detergent possible. This minimizes rinse water needed. Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.
  
• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator. This beats the wasteful habit of running tap water to cool it for drinking. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.
  
• Don't defrost frozen foods with running water. Either plan ahead by placing frozen items in the refrigerator overnight or defrost them in the microwave. Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.
  
• Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables. Rinse them in a filled sink or pan. Saves 150 to 250 gallons a month.
  
• Use the garbage disposal less and the garbage more (even better--compost!). Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.
  
• Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Saves 300 to 800 gallons per month.

In the bathroom

• If you're taking a shower, don't waste cold water while waiting for hot water to reach the showerhead. Catch that water in a container to use on your outside plants or to flush your toilet. Saves 200 to 300 gallons a month.
  
• Shorten your showers. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.
  
• Install water-saving showerheads or flow restrictors. Saves 500 to 800 gallons per month.
  
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. Saves three gallons each day.
  
• Turn off the water while shaving. Fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor. Saves three gallons each day.
  
• Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. Saves 20 gallons per day for every leak stopped.
  
• Check toilet for leaks. Put dye tablets or food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there's a leak that should be repaired. Saves 400 gallons a month.
  

Outside

• Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Chunks of bark, peat moss or gravel slow down evaporation. Saves 750 to 1,500 gallons a month.
  
• Lawn irrigation - (a) Water your lawn only when it needs it. Step on your grass. If it springs back, when you lift your foot, it doesn't need water. So set your sprinklers for more days in between watering. Saves 750-1,500 gallons per month. (b) Adjust or deactivate automatic sprinklers for overcast or rainy days. Can save up to 300 gallons each time. (c) Water only during the early morning hours. It helps prevent the growth of fungus. Saves 300 gallons. (d) Don't water the lawn on windy days. There's too much evaporation. Can waste up to 300 gallons in one watering.
  
• Don't water the sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs--and only there. Saves 500 gallons per month.
  
• Set lawn mower blades one notch higher. Longer grass means less evaporation. Saves 500 to 1,500 gallons each month.
  
• Don't run the hose while washing your car. Use an automatic shut-off for the hose. Use a water-filled bucket while washing your car and give it a quick hose rinse at the end. Saves 150 gallons each time. For a two-car family, that's up to 1,200 gallons a month.
  
• Tell your children not to play with the garden hose. Saves 10 gallons a minute. If you allow your children to play in the sprinklers, make sure it's only when you're watering the yard--if it's not too cool at that time of day.
  
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Saves 150 gallons or more each time. At once a week, that's more than 600 gallons a month.
  
• Xeriscape--replace your lawn and high-water-using trees and plants with less thirsty ones. But do this only in wet years. Even drought resistant plantings take extra water to get them going. That'll save 750 to 1,500 gallons a month.

A final “saver” for us all: dispose of hazardous materials properly because one quart of oil can contaminate 250,000 gallons of water, effectively eliminating that much water from our water supply. Contact South County Sanitary Service at (805) 489-4246 for proper waste disposal options available in the area.

For more information on water conservation, contact the City's Water Conservation Coordinator Mike Ford at (805) 473-4520.