Less Blue — More Green
The summer months are the peak for water use, and the water bills prove it.
Homeowners want to keep their lawns lush and green despite scorching temperatures.
The piles of sweaty clothes in the laundry room reappear each day, and the layer of dust on the car keeps coming back no matter how many times you wash it.
All that extra water use puts strain on the environment and on your water bill. And every gallon can count.
There are simple steps you can take to roll back water’s impact on your wallet. For instance, fixing leaky faucets, plumbing joints and your sprinkler system can save 20 gallons a day for every leak stopped. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Saves 150 gallons or more each time. Shorten your showers. Even a one- or two-minute reduction can save up to 375 gallons per month. So it is possible to go green and still keep the green in your lawn and your wallet.
Here are some tips — primarily from the “Water — Use It Wisely” Web site — to conserve water, both during the summer and all year:
Indoor water use
• Repair leaky faucets, pipes and fixtures.
• Run only full loads in dishwashers and washing machines. If your dishwasher is a recent model, don’t rinse the dishes first.
• Try designating one cup or glass for drinking, to reduce the number of times you have to do dishes.
• Rinse produce in a pan of water or a filled sink then reuse the water on houseplants.
• Don’t run water over frozen food to thaw it.
• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth, lathering your hands or shaving.
• Take short showers (less than five minutes).
• Reuse your towels and washcloths as much as possible.
• Install low-flow shower heads.
• Put a toilet dam, a brick or a plastic bottle full of water in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water needed to flush. If you are buying a new toilet, select a low-flow model.
Useful links
• Be Water Smart: www. bewatersmart.org
• Hampton Roads Water Efficiency Team: www.hrwet.org
• Save Water | WaterSense | U.S. EPA: www.epa.gov/watersense/water/ index.htm
• Smart Irrigation Month: www.smartirrigationmonth.org
• Water — Use it Wisely: www.wateruseitwisely.com
Outdoor water use
• Water your lawn only when it needs it; if the grass doesn’t spring back when you step on it, it needs water.
• If you have an automatic sprinkler or irrigation system, install a rain sensor so that the system won’t run when it is raining.
• Aerate your lawn at regular intervals. This will help it absorb water more efficiently.
• Use lawn fertilizers sparingly, since they increase water consumption. Careful use of fertilizers will also decrease nitrogen runoff into the waterways.
• Check hoses, sprinklers and spigots for leaks.
• Plant shrubs, flowers and other plants that require little maintenance. As with lawns, water plants only when needed.
• Use organic mulch, like pine chips, on gardens and around trees and shrubs.
• Aim your downspouts toward the garden, or install a rain barrel.
• After giving your pets fresh water, use the old water on the garden.
• Don’t keep the hose on when washing the car; use it only for rinsing.
Source: Water — Use it Wisely www.wateruseitwisely.com/100ways/ne.shtml
