Clean Water Blog

Most people think spring rain as a way to clean our roads, parking lots, sidewalks and driveways. This is the case, but it also means pollution to rivers, lakes and ponds. These areas have accumulated sand, garbage and other pollutants from the winter. Now is a crucial time to sweep-up sediments and garbage before it flushes away. Do not sweep sediment into catch basins or wait for a spring flush. Remind neighbors and local businesses it is time for a spring clean not a spring flush.

To learn more, view the videos below by clicking on the links:

KARE 11 Water Minute: Stormwater Runoff

http://www.kare11.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=73710316001

KARE 11 Simply Science: Spring Flush

http://www.kare11.com/news/simplyscience/science_article.aspx?storyid=846948&catid=231

When we scan our monthly water bill and see the number of gallons we have used in the past thirty days, it is important to know where the most water is used in your home.

According to the Handbook of Water Use and Conservation by Amy Vickers, daily indoor per capita water use in the typical single family home is 69.3 gallons.

Showers, washing clothes, flushing the toliet, leaks, and use from faucets account for over 94% of indoor use.  By installing more efficient water fixtures and regulary checking for leaks, households can reduce daily per capita water use by 35% to about 45.2 gallons per day.

The most obvious place to start to reduce water use is the toliet. Older style toilets use up to six gallons per flush. New toilets can use under 2 gallons. This savings can add up to 1,000 gallons per month.

You can retrofit old showers and faucets with a water saving disk placed in the shower head or spout. Newer faucets are manufactured to a water saving standard.

Other areas for significant water savings include the clothes washer, fixing a leaking faucet, and don’t leave the water running when you brush your teeth and/or wash disshes by hand.

Controlling leaks and using water more efficiently can cut your water use by 35%, saving you money and the enviroment.

Water Use Break Down:
Showers 11.6 gallons
Clothes Washer 15.0 gallons
Dishwasher 1.0 gallons
Toilets 18.5 gallons
Baths 1.2 gallons
Leaks 9.5 gallons
Faucets 10.9 gallons

National Groundwater Awareness Week was March 7-13.  Granted the week of recognition has past, however awareness is needed every day to protect this valuable resource. 

More than 90 percent of all public drinking water systems rely on groundwater to supply the population with drinking water. And millions of Americans rely on groundwater from aquifers to supply their private wells. Learn to protect this vital resource. Citizens can a take an active and positive role in protecting their community’s groundwater supplies.

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/groundwaterawareness/index.html

March 15 to 21 is “Fix a Leak” week

Did you know that an American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks? Being handy around the house doesn’t have to be difficult. Leaky toilet flappers, faucets, and other valves are easy to fix and usually require only a few tools and hardware.

Learn how at:
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/water_efficiency/howto.html