June 20, 2010
West Virginia American Water Offers Tips For Wise Water Use
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Charleston, WV (HNN) – With the official start of summer just around the bend, residents will be spending more time on their lawns and gardens, washing their cars or power-washing their homes and driveways. While these activities are necessary, they can sometimes drain more water than intended. Here are some easy ways residents can get their summer chores done while keeping the environment in mind.
Water your lawn only when it needs it. An easy test to tell if the lawn needs water is to simply walk across the grass. If you leave footprints, it’s time to water. One advantage to fewer, soaking waterings is that it encourages deep root growth and stronger turf, which in turn requires less fertilizer.
Set your lawn mower slightly higher for a longer cut. This protects roots and makes your lawn more drought-tolerant.
Water your lawn and plants before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. As much as 30 percent of water can be lost to evaporation when watering between those hours.
Dig basins and mulch around your plants to prevent runoff and retain moisture.
Use a timer for your sprinklers. Usually, a week’s worth of watering can be accomplished within 30 minutes.
Skip the sprinkler if there’s been a 30-minute period of rain within the last week.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk, driveway or patio.
Forget the hose when washing your car, and use a bucket and sponge instead. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program, a hose left running can waste as much as six gallons of water per minute.
Keep a pitcher of tap water in the refrigerator. You’ll avoid the cost and environmental impact of bottled water and you’ll have cold water available in the summer without running the faucet.
Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are full. If you have a water-saver cycle, use it. Adjust the water level of your clothes washer so it matches your load size.
Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, turning the water back on only when it’s time to rinse.
Don’t flush tissues. Use the trash can instead. Even the most efficient toilets still use about a gallon and a half of water per flush, and many people are still using toilets that flush five to seven gallons each time.
Regularly check toilets, faucets and pipes for leaks and have them fixed promptly. According to the EPA, an American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to leaks.
West Virginia American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to approximately 600,000 people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states and Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
Please consider following West Virginia American Water, WVAmWater, on Twitter.
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West Virginia American Water Offers Tips For Wise Water Use
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
Charleston, WV (HNN) – With the official start of summer just around the bend, residents will be spending more time on their lawns and gardens, washing their cars or power-washing their homes and driveways. While these activities are necessary, they can sometimes drain more water than intended. Here are some easy ways residents can get their summer chores done while keeping the environment in mind.
Water your lawn only when it needs it. An easy test to tell if the lawn needs water is to simply walk across the grass. If you leave footprints, it’s time to water. One advantage to fewer, soaking waterings is that it encourages deep root growth and stronger turf, which in turn requires less fertilizer.
Set your lawn mower slightly higher for a longer cut. This protects roots and makes your lawn more drought-tolerant.
Water your lawn and plants before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m. As much as 30 percent of water can be lost to evaporation when watering between those hours.
Dig basins and mulch around your plants to prevent runoff and retain moisture.
Use a timer for your sprinklers. Usually, a week’s worth of watering can be accomplished within 30 minutes.
Skip the sprinkler if there’s been a 30-minute period of rain within the last week.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk, driveway or patio.
Forget the hose when washing your car, and use a bucket and sponge instead. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program, a hose left running can waste as much as six gallons of water per minute.
Keep a pitcher of tap water in the refrigerator. You’ll avoid the cost and environmental impact of bottled water and you’ll have cold water available in the summer without running the faucet.
Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are full. If you have a water-saver cycle, use it. Adjust the water level of your clothes washer so it matches your load size.
Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, turning the water back on only when it’s time to rinse.
Don’t flush tissues. Use the trash can instead. Even the most efficient toilets still use about a gallon and a half of water per flush, and many people are still using toilets that flush five to seven gallons each time.
Regularly check toilets, faucets and pipes for leaks and have them fixed promptly. According to the EPA, an American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to leaks.
West Virginia American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water services to approximately 600,000 people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states and Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.
Please consider following West Virginia American Water, WVAmWater, on Twitter.
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