Be Water-Wise!
Last year’s soaring temperatures and lack of rainfall caused severe drought throughout the United States. Although Hampton Road's has seen a fair amount of rain thus far for 2003, water levels can fall quickly due to evaporation and overuse / waste. Be Water-Wise! Help conserve this valuable resource (and others) not only for your generation, but for many generations to come.
There are many ways you can conserve our precious water resources:
- At Home
- Bathrooms:
- Never use the toilet as a wastebasket.
- Don’t let the water run while shaving or brushing teeth.
- Never pour water down the drain when there may be another use for it - such as watering a plant or garden.
- Kitchen and Laundry:
- Keep drinking water in the refrigerator instead of letting the faucet run until the water is cool.
- Add food wastes to your compost pile instead of using the garbage disposal.
- Operate the dishwasher only when completely full.
- Use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.
- Outside:
- Sweep driveways, sidewalks and steps rather than using the water hose.
- Wash cars with water from a bucket and when using a hose, control the flow with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
- If you have a swimming pool, consider a new water-saving pool filter, lower water level to reduce splash out, and use a cover to reduce evaporation.
- Equipment:
- Repair leaks - a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day.
- Install ultra-low flow toilets, or place a plastic container filled with water or gravel in the tank of your conventional toilet. (Be sure it does not interfere with operation of the toilet's flush mechanisms.)
- Install low-flow aerators and showerheads.
- Bathrooms:
- Landscaping
- Watering:
- Detect and repair all leaks in irrigation systems.
- Water the lawn or garden during the coolest part of the day (early morning is best) and do not water on windy days.
- Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
- Planting:
- Minimize turf areas and use native grasses and plants in your landscape.
- Maintaining:
- Use mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation from the soil surface.
- Remove thatch and aerate turf to encourage movement of water to the root zone.
- Raise your lawn mower cutting height - longer grass blades help shade each other and cut down on evaporation.
- Minimize or eliminate fertilizing, which requires additional watering.
- Watering:
For more water saving tips go to:
http://www.epa.gov/owm/water-efficiency/resitips.htm