INC NEWS - Water Saving Tips

[Melissa Rooney]

Someone told me that we can purchase high pressure
shower heads from the city (or maybe county?) for
something like $2 a head. Does anyone know anything
about this? Such as how/where we can make the
purchase?

Thanks a bunch!
Melissa

--- Laura Drey <lkdrey2 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Water Conservation Tips
> 
> The following not in italics are direct quotes from
> www.monolake.org/socalwater/wctips.htm
> <http://www.monolake.org/socalwater/wctips.htm>   in
> italics are direct
> quotes from www.wateruseitwisely.com/
> <http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/>
>  
> Ways that will save the most water:
> 
> 1. Install water-saving shower heads or flow
> restrictors. This could save
> you as much as 2.5 gallons every minute you shower. 
> Saves 500 to 800
> gallons per month.
> 
> 2. Run only full loads in the washing machine and
> dishwasher. Saves 300 to
> 800 gallons per month.  Or adjust the water level to
> reflect the size of the
> load.
> 
> 3. Take a short shower instead of a bath. While a
> five minute shower uses a
> 12 to 25 gallons, a full tub requires about 70
> gallons.  Shorten your
> showers. Even a one or two minute reduction can save
> up to 700 gallons per
> month. 
> 
> 4. Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water
> to come down the pipes
> (for a shower and washing dishes by hand,) catch the
> flow in a watering can
> to use later on house plants or your garden. Saves
> 200 to 300 gallons per
> month.
>  
> Save water indoors:
>  
> Pay attention to your water bill and become familiar
> with your water
> meter‹use them to track your water use and detect
> leaks.
>  
> Fix leaky plumbing fixtures, faucets and appliances
> in the house.
>  
> Purchase appliances that offer water- and
> energy-efficient cycle options
> (such as ultra low-flush toilets.)
> 
> In the bathroom:
> 
> 1.  Put a plastic bottle or a plastic bag weighted
> with pebbles and filled
> with water in your toilet tank. Displacing water in
> this manner allows you
> to use less water with each flush. Saves 5 to 10
> gallons a day. That's up to
> 300 gallons a month, even more for large families.
> Better yet, for even
> greater savings, replace your water-guzzling five to
> seven gallon a flush
> toilet with a one and a half gallon, ultra-low flush
> model.
> 
> 2.  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.
>  
> 3.  Check to assure that your toilet's flapper valve
> doesn¹t stay open after
> flushing.
>  
> 4.  Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
> Saves three gallons each
> day.
> 
> 5.  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.
>  
> In the kitchen:
> 
> 1. 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. Let your pots and
> pans soak instead of letting the water run while you
> clean them.
> 
> 2. When washing dishes by hand, use the least amount
> of detergent possible.
> This minimizes rinse water needed. Saves 50 to 150
> gallons a month.
> 
> 3. 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.
> 
> 4. 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.
> 
> 5. 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.
> 
> 6. Use the garbage disposal less and the garbage
> more (even
> better--compost!). Saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.
>  
> 7.  Purchase an instant water heater for your
> kitchen sink so you don¹t
> waste water while it heats up.
> 
> Outside:
> 
> 1. Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants.
> Chunks of bark, peat moss
> or gravel slows down evaporation. Saves 750 to 1,500
> gallons a month. Create
> a compost pile and use it in your yard to add needed
> nutrients and organic
> matter to the soil.
> 
> 2. Set lawn mower blades one notch higher. Longer
> grass means less
> evaporation. Saves 500 to 1,500 gallons each month.
>  
> 3.  Apply as little fertilizer to your lawn as
> possible. Applying excess
> fertilizer increases water consumption and actually
> creates more mowing for
> you! Use iron-based fertilizers to simply ³green-up²
> your lawn instead.
> 
> 4. Use a rain barrel to collect water off the roof
> and use it to water
> plants and garden.  Have an evaporative air
> conditioner? Direct the water
> drain line to a flower bed, tree base, or lawn.
> 
> 5. 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.
> 
> 6. Dispose of hazardous materials properly! One
> quart of oil can contaminate
> 250,000 gallons of water, effectively eliminating
> that much water from our
> water supply. Contact your city or county for proper
> waste disposal options.
> And don't flush prescription medications!
>  
> 7.  Avoid bursting or freezing pipes by winterizing
> your outdoor spigots.
>  
> 8.  If you have a pool, use a pool cover to cut down
> on evaporation. It will
> also keep your pool cleaner and reduce the need to
> add chemicals. Saves
> 1,000 gallons a month.
> 
> Other means for conserving water once water
> restrictions lifted:
> 
> 1.  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. Better
> yet, especially in times of drought, water with a
> hose. And best of all,
> convert your lawn to native plants.
> 
> 2.  Water during the cool parts of the day. Avoid
> watering your landscape
> during the hottest hours of the day (10 am until 6
> pm) to minimize
> evaporation.  Early morning is better than dusk
> since it helps prevent the
> 
=== message truncated ===>
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