Conservation
CONSERVE WATER
Toilet flushing is by far the largest
single use of water in a home. Most toilets use from
four to six gallons of water for each flush. On the
average, a dishwasher uses about 50 percent less water!
Without counting lawn watering, typical percentages of
water use for a family of 4 are:
40% Toilet flushing
32% Bath & shower
14% Laundry
6% Dishwashing
5% Cooking & drinking
3% Bathroom sink
If you experience a water leak,
decreased water pressure in more than one faucet in your
homes, discolored water, or toilets backing up, call ECO
Resources at 281-240-1300 to report a problem any time
of the day or night.
Saving Water outside the Home
Being Water Smart is easy! Here are some
easy tips:
-
Don’t over-water your lawn. One inch
per week in the summer will keep most common grasses
healthy. To determine how long you need to run your
sprinklers, place empty cans at different distances
away from your sprinkler and time how long it takes
to fill one inch in each can.
-
Prevent evaporation! Water lawns
early in the morning or in late evening during the
hotter summer months. Never water on windy days. If
possible, install a drip irrigation system for
bedded plants, trees, or shrubs. Use low angle
sprinklers for the lawn. Water only the vegetation,
not the street or driveway.
-
Plant water-wise trees, shrubs and
grass! Choose plants that are drought- and
heat-tolerant.
Outside Water Conservation
-
Water your lawn only when it needs
it, and when you do, water long enough to saturate
the ground.
-
Water during the cool part of the
day. Early morning is best.
-
Make sure you water the grass, not
the paved areas!
-
Plant trees and plants that are
resistant to drought. Use mulch to keep the moisture
in, and weeds out of your flowerbeds.
-
Sweep the driveways and sidewalks
with a broom, not the hose. Please do not put trash
or lawn clippings down the drainage inlets.
-
Don’t run the hose while washing the
car.
-
Teach your children not to play with
the hose and sprinklers.
-
Check for leaks in pipes, hoses,
faucets, and couplings.
Please access the American Water Works
Association website (www.awwa.org)
for additional conservation tips!
Automatic Sprinkler Systems
A sprinkler system requires regular
maintenance to avoid major water waste. Check sprinkler
heads regularly to remove dirt or debris that may be
clogging the tubes in which the nozzles retract and to
ensure all the nozzles are operating at the proper
pressure and not leaking. When spray heads are not
working (turned off) they should be as close to the
ground as possible to avoid damaging them with a lawn
mower. Repair or replace broken heads, pipes, valves and
seals as soon as possible. Once a month turn on your
sprinkler system manually for a short time to make sure
it is working properly. Our sprinkler system design
should include a rain sensor to automatically adjust the
cycle and prevent over watering.
We are all proud of the appearance of
our property and our neighbor as a whole reflects that
pride. Certainly everyone would agree that water use is
a necessary part of maintaining that appearance but use
water wisely for the sake of generations to come.
American Tap Water Facts:
-
Only 1% of the Earth’s water is
fresh water available for humans to drink (97% of
the Earth’s water is salt water, 2% is frozen).
-
The U.S. has fresh water resources
totaling about 660 trillion gallons.
-
Americans tap into about 341 billion
gallons daily.
-
Water utilities monitor for more
than 100 contaminants on a regular basis.
-
More than 94% of American water
utilities are in full compliance with health-based
federal regulations annually.
Source:
www.awwa.com
WATER LEAK CHECKLIST
Do you suspect a leak? If so, do the
following:
-
Turn off all water inside and
outside your home.
-
Go outside to your meter box and
open the cover.
-
Locate the black or red
triangular-shaped Leak Detector on the left beside
the numbers.
-
If the Leak Detector is not moving,
you do not have a leak and no water is passing thru
the meter.
-
If the Leak Detector is moving, you
do have a leak and you should call a plumber. Water
leaks on the homeowner’s side of the meter are the
homeowner’s responsibility.
-
If there is water in the meter box,
be sure it is not run-off water from sprinklers or
rainfall before calling ECO. It saves the District
and homeowner’s money by checking this first before
calling for service.
-
If you are certain it is a leak
outside of your home, please call ECO’s Customer
Service at 281-240-1988 or 24-hour Dispatch at
281-240-1300.
What is Xeriscaping?
Xeriscaping is a form of landscaping
that is very thrifty with water. These are four of the
basic ideas behind Xeriscaping:
By putting these ideas into practice,
you can dramatically reduce your home’s water use,
especially during hot, dry weather—and you won’t have to
sacrifice a beautiful yard to do it!
Source:
www.TCEQ.com
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