FISCAL YEAR 2012 INFORMATION
FISCAL YEAR 2011 INFORMATION
INDOOR WATER CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Simple Saving Tips in the Home
- Fix leaky faucets, pipes, toilets, and save hundred of gallons per week.
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, or doing dishes.
- Do not flush the toilet needlessly.
- Run dishwashers and washing machines only when full or water level is set accordingly.
- Keep a jug of drinking water in your refrigerator to avoid running water until it is cold enough to drink.
- Do not fill the tub to the top when bathing and take shorter showers.
Leaky Toilets? The trickling sound you hear in the bathroom could be your toilet wasting 50 gallons of water a day thousands each year.
>>Try this test at home! Put a few drops of blue food coloring in your toilet tank. Do not flush. If color appears in the bowl within 10-15 minutes, you have a leak. To repair it, the flush valve (also known as flapper valve) or the valve seat may need to be cleaned or replaced. Parts are inexpensive and easy to install.
Leaky Pipes? Check under your sink, behind your washing machine, and around the basement plumbing for suspicious looking wet areas. Leaks not only waste water - they could be damaging your walls, floors, and ceilings.
Dripping Faucets & Showerheads. Worn-out washers - the cause of most dripping faucets and showerheads - cost pennies to replace and are easily installed.
Ways to Make Your Home More Efficient
Make your old toilet a water saver
- INSTALL one of several new toilet retrofit products available at hardware stores. Some only work with certain toilets, so get a recommendation from your local plumber on the right one for you.
- REDUCE the volume of each flush by placing a toilet dam or a water-filled plastic bottle weighted with gravel in the tank if you have not already installed a 1.6 gallon toilet.
Water efficient showerheads
- Some showerheads may still use 3-7 gallons or more per minute. Install a showerhead that uses 2.5 gallons per minute or less available at hardware stores.
Faucet aerators
- Low-flow faucet awerators mix air with tap water to reduce the flow to 1.5-2.5 gallons per minute. Faucets without aerators may be using 3-7 gallons per minute.
Water & energy efficient appliances (Energy Star label)
- High Efficiency Washers: Unlike traditional machines, which must be filled to the top with water in order to immerse clothes, front loading washers use about 25 gallons per load. Front loaders also save energy too, about 50% or more by usng less hot water. To help defray the incremental costs of these new models, some gas and electric utilities offer incentives.
Dishwashers
- Newer energy and water efficient dishwashers exceed minimum federal government standards. These newer models operate on 13-25% less energy and on as little as six (6) gallons of water per load. Benefits to you: lower utility bills, improved washing systems that eliminate pre-rinsing, and less energy used to heat the water to clean the dishes.
When selecting new appliances, check the water and energy efficient ratings in manufacturer's specifications or consumer magazines and look for the Energy Star label.
OUTDOOR WATER CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Summer is an especially important time to save water.
Water your garden only as needed. Frequent light watering can actually weaken lawn by encouraging shallow roots that are less tolerant in dry peroids and more suspectible to insect damage. Roots can actually hold plenty of moisture even several days without rain. Before watering look for patchy areas, general change in color, or footprints that remain in the grass long after being made.
Test soil for dryness. Water only when the soil is dry to a depth of 1.5 inches. Make sure the water soaks down 3-4 inches to encourage deep root growth.
Timing is critical. The best time to water your lawn is early morning (4-6am). Watering mid-day wil result in a high rate of evaporation and sunburnt grass and will leave grass vunerable to disease from mildew and fungus.
Give it a rest. Grass naturally becomes dormant during hot, dry periods and will revive quickly after a steady rainfall or in cooler weather. To get the most out of watering your lawn:
- One inch of water per week (rain plus watering) should be plenty. After heavy rains, you may not need to water for 10-14 days.
- Raise the lawn mower blade level to 2-3 inches or more. Longer grass retains more moisture because it shades the roots. It also encourages deeper rooting, requires less fertilizer, and competes better against weeds.
- Never water faster than the soil can absorb. Avoid puddling and runoff.
- Be sure your hose has a shut-off nozzle. A hose without a nozzle can spout 10 gallons or more per minute.
- Don't fertilize in the summer. New growth requires more water. Apply in early spring and/or fall.
- Aerate your soil in the spring and fall to aid water.
Prepare lawn properly. Grass needs at least 3-6 inches of very good topsoil. Rich loam mixed with peat moss or composted leaves will hold moisture and allow for good, deep root development. The type of grass you grow is also important. Lawns planted with fescue grasses do better than bluegrasses during periods of low rainfall and are slower to go dormant.
Automatic sprinklers. Studies have shown that often automatic sprinklers use 20-30% more water than a hand-held hose. Check and set the timer or controller to water each landscape zone efficiently. Install a rain or soil moisture sensor that turns the system off when it rains or if moisture is present in the soil.
Tips for landscape, gardens, and flower care.
The amount of water you use outdoors depends on how you water as well as the size, type, and location of your lawn, shrubs, and gardens.
Plan and design garden for efficient outdoor watering. Understand the various zones in your yard (hot/sunny, cool/shady, moist, dry, etc.) and plan your gardens and plants accordingly. Stones and pebbles are good for shady areas, but give off too much heat when used near the house. Ground covers, such as ivy or pachysandra, also prevent evaporation around established shrubs and ornamental trees.
Mulch to keep roots cool and moist. Mulch can serve as ground cover that reduces evaporation from soil and reduced the number of weeks that would otherwise compete with the plant for available soil moisture. Mulching reduces water evaportation from soil and hinders weed growth in a planting bed.
Cluster plants that require extra care. Place plants that require similar level of care, such as sunlight and moisture, near each other to save time and water while maintaining them.
Organic matter will help your soil retain more moisture. Peat moss, composted leaves, kitchen vegetable scraps, and grass clippings will all improve soil structure and enhance moisture-retaining capabilities. Incorporate organic matter into your flower and vegetable beds, preferably 12-18" deep.
Drip irrigation and soaker hoses - the best way to water your garden. Use a drip irrigation system or soaker hose in gardens that need the most water: vegetables, fruits, newly planted trees and shrubs, and some flower beds. A soaker hose is a canvas or rubber hose with perforations, most effective when it lies on top or slightly below soil level and mulch is placed over the soil and hose. Drip irrigation can use 30-70% less water than overhead sprinkler systems. In general, use the drip irrigation or soaker hose methods until the soil is moist 3-4 inches below the surface.
Use rain barrels. Place rain barrels or other large containers under downspouts to collect rain water to use for watering your garden. Use a lid, mesh fabric, or several drops of baby oil on the surface of the water to prevent mosquito breeding.
For small gardens. Use a hose to apply water very slowly at the base of each plant, not on leaves. Saucer-like basins around each plant help concentrate water at the base of the plants near the roots.
Low Water-Use Plants
The plants listed below are a variety of low water-use plants that not only can withstand dry summers, but can also thrive in drier conditions. Remember, all newly planted trees, shrubs, or flowers initially need watering until their roots are established. Once established, the plants can survive without extra watering.
Common Name |
Botanical Name |
Height |
|
TREES |
|
Amur Maple |
Acer ginnala |
20-25' |
Austrian Pine |
Pinus nigra |
50' |
Japanese Black Pine |
Pinus thunbergii |
6-10' |
Cornelian Cherry |
Cornus Mas |
20-25' |
London Plane |
Pltanus x acerifolia |
50' |
White Oak |
Quercus alba |
50' |
|
SHRUBS |
|
Broom |
Cytisus scoparius |
5-6' |
Flowering Quince |
Chaenomeles specoisa |
6-10' |
Junipers |
Juniperus sp. |
2-9' |
Cinquefoil |
Potentilla |
3-4' |
Butterfly Bush |
Buddleia davidii |
6-10' |
Rose-of-Sharon |
Hibiscus syriacus 'Diana' |
6-8' |
Winterberry |
Ilex verticillata |
8-10' |
Mugo Pine (dwarf) |
Pinus mugo |
3-4' |
|
GROUND COVER |
|
Bearberry |
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi |
6-8" |
Creeping Lilly-turf |
Liriope spicata |
6-8" |
Violets |
Viola sp. |
6-8" |
Snow-in-Summer |
Cerastium Tomentosum |
6-8" |
|
PERENNIALS |
|
New England Aster |
Aster Novae-angliae |
15-30" |
Common Blanketflower |
Gaillardia aristata |
24-36" |
Moonbeam |
Coreopsis verticillata |
24-36" |
Purple Coneflower |
Echninacea purpurea |
24-36" |
Lavender |
Lavendula "Hidcote Blue" |
12-36" |
Sedum (Acre, Red Carpet, Rudy Glow, Stoliniferum, Spectabile) |
Sedum sp. |
18-24" |
Daylily |
Hemerocallis |
18-48" |
Yarrow, 'The Pearl', 'Summer Pastels' |
Achillea sp. |
18-36" |
|
ANNUALS/BIENNIALS |
|
Cosmos |
Cosmos sp. |
3' |
Gazania |
Gazania |
6-18" |
Marigold |
Dimorpotheca sp. |
4-6" |
Portulaca |
Portulaca gradiflora |
8" |
Strawflower |
Heliochrysum bracteatum |
3' |
Sweet William |
Dianthus Barbatus |
2' |
| 
