Illinois American Water offers 10 tips for wise
water use this summer
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[June 29, 2013]
BELLEVILLE -- Despite
recent increased rainfall in many areas of the country, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported in its most recent
drought outlook that drought is still likely in many parts of the
country this summer. Therefore, it is more important than ever to be
mindful of water use. |
From running air conditioning to watering lawns, increased
summertime water consumption can strain local supply for homes,
businesses and fire protection. The following "Top 10 Tips" from
Illinois American Water can help consumers use water more
efficiently, plus identify and prevent leaks, a significant source
of water waste.
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Water your lawn
only when it needs it. An easy way to tell is to simply walk
across the grass. If it springs back, you don't need to water,
but if you leave footprints, it's time to water.
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Set your lawn
mower one notch higher to make your lawn more drought-tolerant.
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Consider using
drip irrigation or a rain barrel to water your outdoor plants,
and water in the early morning. As much as 30 percent of water
can be lost to evaporation by watering during midday.
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Use a broom
instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk, driveway or patio.
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For washing the
car, forgo the hose and use a bucket and sponge instead, which
takes only a few gallons to do the job, while a hose left
running can waste as much as 6 gallons per minute.
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Run dishwashers
and clothes washers only when they are full, and adjust the
water level of your washing machine to match the load size. If
you have a water-saver cycle, use it. Newer, high-efficiency
washing machines use less than 27 gallons of water per load,
compared with between 27 and 54 gallons a load with traditional
machines.
-
Keep a pitcher of cold tap water in the
refrigerator. You'll avoid the cost and environmental impact of
bottled water, and you'll have cold water available for warm
days without running the faucet.
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A short shower is
better than a bath. A full bathtub can require up to 70 gallons
of water, while taking a five-minute shower uses only 10 to 25
gallons.
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Turning off the
tap while brushing your teeth can save 8 gallons per day.
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Regularly check
your toilet, faucets and pipes for leaks and have them fixed
promptly. An easy test for toilet leaks from EPA WaterSense:
Place a drop of food coloring in the tank. If the color tints
the water in the bowl without flushing, there's a leak. Or,
check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when
no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, there's
probably a leak. A downloadable
leak detection kit (PDF) is also available in the
Learning
Center on Illinois American Water's website,
www.illinoisamwater.com.
These tips for wise use of water also serve to remind consumers
of the fundamental value of our most precious resource to overall
quality of life in our communities, including health, business and
economic development, and fire protection.
Illinois American Water proactively implements leak detection
technologies and ongoing system maintenance and upgrades to ensure
its communities have safe, reliable water service, especially during
periods of peak demand.
[Text from file received from
Illinois American Water]
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