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how you can help save Florida’s precious water supply

�hile this appears to be a straightforward brochure about water conservation, it

is a lot more serious than that. It’s about the very survival of our Florida lifestyle. It’s

not too late to save Florida’s precious water supply. But we must act now to ensure

the continued existence of our water supply for generations to come.

s you read through these 50 ways to save water, you’ll notice that some are

simply common sense, while others utilize new technology. However, they are all

equally important to you, your children and all future Florida generations.

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��� Never put water down thedrain when there may be anotheruse for it such as cleaning orwatering a plant or garden.

��� Verify that your home isleak-free, because many homeshave hidden water leaks. Readyour water meter before and aftera two-hour period when no wateris being used. If the meter doesnot show exactly the same read-ings, there is a leak.

��� Repair dripping faucets byreplacing washers. If your faucetis dripping at the rate of one dropper second, you can expect towaste 2,700 gallons per year,which will add to the cost ofwater and sewer utilities or strainyour septic system.

��� Check for toilet tank leaksby adding food coloring to thetank. If the toilet is leaking, colorwill appear within 30 minutes.Check the toilet for worn out,corroded or bent parts. Mostreplacement parts are inexpen-sive, readily available and easilyinstalled. (Flush as soon as test isdone since food coloring maystain tank.)

��� Avoid flushing the toiletunnecessarily. Dispose of tissues,insects and other such waste in atrash container rather than in thetoilet.

��� Install a toilet dam ordisplacement device such as abag or bottle to cut down on theamount of water needed for eachflushing. Be sure installation doesnot interfere with operating parts.When purchasing new or replace-ment toilets, consider low-volumeunits which use less than half thewater of older models. In manyareas, low-volume units arerequired by law.

��� Take shorter showers.Replace your shower head withan ultra low-flow version. Someunits are available that allow youto cut off the flow without adjust-ing the water temperature knobs.

��� Use the minimum amountof water needed for a bath byclosing the drain first and fillingthe tub only 1/3 full. Put the plugor stopper in the tub beforeturning on water. The initial burstof cold water can be warmed byadding hot water later.

��� Don’t let water run whileshaving or washing your face.Brush your teeth first while wait-ing for water to get hot thenwash or shave after filling thebasin.

��� Retrofit all wasteful house-hold faucets by installing aeratorswith flow restrictors.

��� Operate automatic dish-washers and clothes washersonly when they are fully loadedor properly set the water level forthe size of load you are using.

��� When washing dishes byhand, fill one sink or basin withsoapy water. Quickly rinse undera slow-moving stream from thefaucet.

��� Store drinking water in therefrigerator rather than letting thetap run every time you want acool glass of water.

��� Do not use running waterto thaw meat or other frozenfoods. Defrost food overnight inthe refrigerator or by using thedefrost setting on your micro-wave.

��� Kitchen sink disposalsrequire a lot of water to operateproperly. Start a compost pile asan alternate method of disposingof food waste instead of using agarbage disposal. Garbage dis-posal waste also can add 50percent to the volume of solids ina septic tank, which can lead toseptic system malfunctions andmaintenance problems.

��� Consider installing aninstant water heater on yourkitchen sink so you don’t have tolet the water run while it heatsup. This will reduce heating costsfor your household.

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��� Insulate your water pipes.You’ll get hot water faster plusavoid wasting water while it heatsup.

��� Never install a water-to-airheat pump or air-conditioningsystem. Newer air-to-air models arejust as efficient and do not wastewater.

��� Install water-softening sys-tems only when necessary. Savewater and salt by running theminimum amount of regenerationsnecessary to maintain water soft-ness. Turn softeners off while onvacation.

��� Check your pump. If youhave a well at your home, listen tosee if the pump kicks on and offwhile the water is not in use. If itdoes, you have a leak.

��� When adjusting water tem-peratures, instead of turning waterflow up, try turning it down. If thewater is too hot or cold, turn theoffender down rather than increas-ing water flow to balance thetemperature.

��� If the toilet flush handlefrequently sticks in the flush posi-tion, letting water run constantly,replace or adjust it.

��� Don’t overwater your lawn.As a general rule, lawns only needwatering every 5 to 7 days in thesummer and every 10 to 14 days inthe winter. A hearty rain eliminatesthe need for watering for as long astwo weeks. Plant it smart —Xeriscape. Xeriscape landscaping,which is a great way to design,install and maintain both yourplantings and irrigation system, willsave you time, money and water.

��� Water lawns during theearly morning hours when tem-peratures and wind speed are thelowest. This reduces loss fromevaporation.

��� Don’t water your street,driveway or sidewalk. Position yoursprinklers so that your water landson the lawn and shrubs — not thepaved areas.

��� Install sprinklers that are themost water-efficient for each use.Micro and drip irrigation andsoaker hoses are examples ofwater-efficient methods of irriga-tion.

��� Check sprinkler systems andtiming devices regularly to be surethey are operating properly. It is

now the law that anyone whopurchases and installs an automaticlawn-sprinkler system MUST installa rain sensor device or switchwhich will override the irrigationcycle of the sprinkler system whenadequate rainfall has occurred. Toretrofit your existing system, con-tact an irrigation professional formore information.

��� Raise the lawn mower bladeto at least three inches. A lawn cuthigher encourages grass roots togrow deeper, shades the rootsystem and holds soil moisturebetter than a closely-clipped lawn.

��� Avoid overfertilizing yourlawn. The application of fertilizersincreases the need for water. Applyfertilizers which contain slow-release, water-insoluble forms ofnitrogen.

��� Mulch to retain moisture inthe soil. Mulching also helps tocontrol weeds that compete withplants for water.

��� Plant native and/or drought-tolerant grasses, ground covers,shrubs and trees. Once established,they do not need to be watered asfrequently and they usually will

survive a dry period without anywatering. Group plants togetherbased on similar water needs.

��� Do not hose your drivewayor sidewalk. Use a broom to sweepleaves and other debris from theseareas. Using a hose to clean adriveway can waste hundreds ofgallons of water.

��� Outfit your hose with a shut-off nozzle that can be adjusteddown to a fine spray so water flowsonly as needed. When finished,turn the water off at the faucetinstead of at the nozzle to avoidleaks.

��� Use hose washers betweenspigots and water hoses to elimi-nate leaks.

��� Do not leave sprinklers orhoses unattended. Your gardenhose can pour out 600 gallons ofwater or more in only a few hours,so don’t leave the sprinkler runningall day. Use a kitchen timer toremind yourself to turn it off.

��� Check all hoses, connectorsand spigots regularly.

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��� Consider using a commercialcar wash that recycles water. If youwash your own car, park on thegrass to do so.

��� Avoid the installation ofornamental water features (such asfountains) unless the water isrecycled. Locate where there areminimal losses due to evaporationand wind drift.

��� If you have a swimmingpool, consider a new water-savingpool filter. A single backflushingwith a traditional filter uses from180 to 250 gallons, or more.

��� Create an awareness of theneed for water conservation amongchildren. Avoid the purchase ofrecreational water toys that requirea constant stream of water.

��� Be aware of and follow allwater-conservation and water-shortage rules and restrictions,which may be in effect in your area.

��� Encourage your employerto promote water conservation atthe workplace. Suggest that waterconservation be put in the em-ployee orientation manual andtraining program.

��� Patronize businesses whichpractice and promote water conser-vation.

��� Report all significant waterlosses (broken pipes, open hy-

drants, errant sprinklers, etc.) to theproperty owner or local authorities.Report abandoned free-flowingwells to the water managementdistrict.

��� Encourage your schoolsystem and local government tohelp develop and promote a waterconservation ethic among childrenand adults.

��� Support projects that willlead to an increased use of re-claimed wastewater for irrigationand other uses.

��� Support efforts and pro-grams to create a concern for water

conservation among tourists andvisitors to our state. Make surevisitors understand the need for,and benefits of, water conservation.

��� Encourage your friends andneighbors to be part of a water-conscious community. Promotewater conservation in communitynewsletters, on bulletin boards andby example.

��� Conserve water because itis the right thing to do. Don’t wastewater just bescause someone else isfooting the bill such as when youare staying at a hotel.

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