Save a Drop, Make a ripple
Arizona has a 50 Year Plan
I heard a lot on the news that Arizona was not getting as much of the Colorado River as hoped. We would have to conserve more, and water costs would go up. So, I studied my current water bill. It was $103.75. I was surprised to see that my total base and usage for water was only $16.90. That IS a BARGAIN, especially since I use water for my vegetable garden. The rest of my charges were for sewage, environmental mandates for sewer and water, jails and taxes. So. If only the water goes up a percentage, I am happy.
Nonetheless, the Southwest and many parts of the country do have concerns about water shortages. We want to be part of helping Arizona’s future. The City of Phoenix says that they have have strategies to meet the demand for water for the next 50 years. eW must work together to achieve this.
With that in as a goal, there are many conservation strategies for individuals available online. Each drop of water that each person saves makes a ripple in our water future
You can find conservation strategies from the city of Phoenix at Save Water | City of Phoenix They offer efficiency consultations, youth programs and videos to help you save water inside and outside. There are even financial incentives for changing to water saving toilets, removing grass and irrigation controllers.
ConserveWaterWisely.com has almost 200 ideas for individuals and businesses to save water. Below are some of my favorite tips.
Indoor
#6 Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean .
#12 Reuse leftover water from cooked or steamed foods to start a nutritious soup, it’s one more way to get eight glasses of water a day.
#13 Cook food in as little water as possible. This also helps it retain more nutrients.
#16 Collect the water you use while rinsing fruit and vegetables. Use it to water house plants.
#24 Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month
#27 Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Fix it and start saving gallons.
#32 Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save up to 4 gallons a minute. That’s up to 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
#33 If your toilet was installed before 1992, purchasing a WaterSense® labeled toilet can reduce the amount of water used for each flush. Check with the above Phoenix link for rebate information.
#60 Run your washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
Outdoors
#63 Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid over-watering some while under-watering others.
#71 Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
#74 Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants helps them retain moisture, saving water, time and money.
#79 Collect water from your roof by installing gutters and downspouts. Direct the runoff to plants and trees.
#84 Adjust your lawn mower to the height of 1.5 to 2 inches. Taller grass shades roots and holds soil moisture better than short grass.
#96 Set a kitchen timer when using the hose as a reminder to turn it off. A running hose can discharge up to 10 gallons per minute.
#114 For hanging baskets, planters and pots, put ice cubes on top of the soil to give your plants a cool drink of water without overflow.
#141 Know where your master water shut-off valve is located. Were a pipe to burst, this could save gallons of water and prevent damage.
The little things that we do to conserve mount up. The drops become gallons and then 1,000s and then 100,000s of gallons. Let’s all do our small part!