water conservation!
Water, Water, Everywhere
If your water bill sky rockets for no apparent reason, chances are that there's a leak somewhere. Leak detection kits and water saver kits are available at the water department office. Listed below are some conservation tips and home leak detection tips.
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15 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SAVE WATER Why conserve water? Who knows how much rain we'll get this summer! COMM Water Department customers know that conservation should be a year 'round effort, and this friendly reminder should be most helpful! 1 Check toilets for leaks. Put food coloring in your toilet tank and wait ten minutes. If without flushing, the color appears in the bowl, you have a leak. You may be wasting hundreds of gallons a day. 2 Replace your old toilet with a low-flow toilet. Ultra low-flush toilets use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush. 3 Don't use the toilet as a trashcan. Every cigarette or tissue you flush wastes 1.6 to 7 gallons per flush. 4 Put a plastic bottle in the toilet tank. Put an inch of sand in a quart bottle to weigh it down. Fill the rest with water and put it in your tank, away from the operating mechanism. In the average home, this may save five or more gallons each day. 5 Take shorter showers. Older showerheads use five to ten gallons a minute. 6 Install water-saving showerheads. A quality water-saver showerhead provides a luxurious shower, yet uses no more than 2.5 gallons per minute. Ask your hardware retailer for advice. 7 Take baths instead of showers. A partially filled tub uses less water than all but the shortest shower. 8 Turn off water while brushing teeth or shaving. 9 Check pipes for leaks. A small drip can waste 50 gallons a day! 10 Use automatic dishwashers only for full loads. 11 Use washing machine only for full loads. 12 Turn off water while cleaning vegetables. Rinse them in a sink half filled with water. 13 Keep drinking water in the refrigerator. Stop the wasteful practice of running the tap to cool water. 14 If washing dishes by hand, don't leave the water running. If you have two sinks, fill one with rinse water. If you only have one, put clean dishes in a rack, then rinse with a sprayer or pan of water. 15 Check faucets for leaks that waste 24 hours a day. An inexpensive washer can usually stop leaks. An Easy Way to Detect Leaks An easy way to see if you have a leak is to turn off all the water in your house. Then check your water meter (usually located in the basement). The meter has a small red dial. If this red dial is moving, and all your water is off, you have a leak.
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1Water early in the morning - midday water can result in grass scalding and is ineffective due to evaporation loss. 2 Lawns in the east require 1" of water weekly for best growth - 1" of water applied to a lawn will saturate soil to a depth of 3-4 inches. 3 Do not water faster than soil will absorb - grass roots may suffocate if soil is drenched. 4 Water deeply and frequently - light frequent watering will encourage roots to grow shallow and close to the soil surface making grass more susceptible to disease. 5 Keep lawns at a height of 2" Do not cut grass too short - There is a direct relationship between grass length and rooting depth, grass that is too short is less able to withstand drought and stress and is more susceptible to weed and insect infestation.
Place an open hose at the base of the tree or shrub and let the hose trickle slowly so water sill seep down and saturate root zone. Mulching helps to reduce water loss.
Dripping faucets and running toilets are more than a nuisance. They waste water and cost you money. 1Turn off all water - inside and out, locate your water meter. 2 Check the little red dial on the meter - if it is turning then water is passing by. 3 Toilets are the most common sources of leaks. Here's how to find them.
(Hardware and plumbing stores sell complete kits with instructions). 4 Leaky Faucets: the most common cause of leaks is a worn washer. 5 Outside silcocks: Check outside silcocks and showers to make sure they are not dripping. 6 Irrigation Systems: If you find a wet soft spot on your lawn you probably have a leak in your irrigation system. If your meter indicates a leak and you can't find it, call a plumber or the water department.
Water Wasted in One Month from Leaks
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