Water is the source of life - treasure it! R5.

Water is the source of life - treasure it! R5.

Water is the source of all life on earth. It touches every area of our lives. Without it, we could not thrive — we could not even survive.

Sustainability – “We strive to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

We should discourage wastefulness and misuse, and promote efficiency and conservation.

"Conservation is really the cheapest source of supply,"

For the benefit of mankind, maintain the quality of life and preserve the peace and tranquility of world population.  Water resources must be preserved - to sustain humanity.  We must eliminate wasteful utilization of water, conserve our water sources and implement rigid conservation methods. We should utilize solar and or other source of renewable energy to operate desalinization projects from the oceans. Utilize renewable energy sources to purify and transport the water to its final destination.  As world population increases the scarcity of water will become a cause for conflict, unless we take steps now to develop other sources of water for drinking, rainwater harvesting – storm-water and gray-water utilization. Designing of landscaping that uses minimal amount of water. 
"With power shortages and a water scarcity a constant threat across the West, it's time to look at water and energy in a new way,"                                     
To preserve the future generations sustainability, we should look into urban farming – vertical farming. The term "urban farming" may conjure up a community garden where locals grow a few heads of lettuce. But some academics envision something quite different for the increasingly hungry world of the 21st century: a vertical farm that will do for agriculture what the skyscraper did for office space. Greenhouse giant: By stacking floors full of produce, a vertical farm could rake in $18 million a year.
Jay Draiman, Energy and water conservation consultant

Filling rooftops with plants and dirt can help pull a modest amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, found a new study.

Filling rooftops with plants and dirt can help pull a modest amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, found a new study.

While green roofs certainly won't solve the global warming problem, their ability to sop up greenhouse gases — even just a little bit — bolsters the case for planting them on city buildings, despite extra costs on the front end, said lead researcher Kristin Getter, of Michigan State University in East Lansing.

"The key to fighting global warming is capturing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in new reservoirs that weren't storing carbon before," Getter said. "In the whole scheme of things, green roofs are not the one answer to sequestering carbon, but they will certainly help."

Green roofs offer a long list of known benefits. They lower air-conditioning costs in the summer by absorbing and reflecting heat. They lower heating costs in the winter by adding extra insulation.

Green roofs appeal to cities because they soak up rainwater, making excess stormwater less likely to flood sewage systems and inflate sewage treatment costs. Plant-filled rooftops make urban areas less likely to become heat islands. They reduce air pollution and noise pollution. And vegetation, even when it's several stories up, provides habitat for animals.

Like any forested or vegetation-covered area, a patch of green on top of a roof should theoretically lower levels of carbon dioxide in the air, as well. Plants breathe in the greenhouse gas like we breathe in oxygen, and they store carbon in their leaves and other tissues. Until now, however, no one had measured how much carbon a green roof could actually take in.

Getter and colleagues began by measuring the amount of carbon stored in vegetation above ground on 12 typical green roofs in Michigan and Maryland. For two growing seasons, they also measured carbon both above and below ground on an experimental roof at Michigan State University.

Although the numbers varied from roof to roof and even between different areas of the same roof, the scientists calculated a total of 375 grams of carbon in an average square meter of roof.

The metropolitan area of Detroit has between about 65 million square meters and 85 million square meters of rooftop land. Greening all of that area, the researchers reported in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, would be like removing 10,000 mid-sized SUVs or trucks from the roads for a year.

A green roof's ability to sequester carbon lasts only a year or two. At that point, the amount of carbon emitted by the decay of soil and plant material balances out the carbon taken in by photosynthesis. Still, that's two extra years of offsets that make a green roof potentially worthwhile, said David Sailor, an engineer at Portland State University in Oregon.

His models estimate a nine-year delay before the energy savings of a green roof offset the money and energy required to build it. Those costs can be up to twice as high as what it takes to build a traditional roof. The new study lowers the estimated payback time to seven years.

That's a significant benefit, Sailor said, given that green roofs also last up to twice as long as traditional roofs.

"Their argument is that the carbon sequestration in plant biomass should be considered one of the co-benefits of a green roof," Sailor said. "Taken along with other co-benefits, you start to tell a very compelling story for green roofs."

Ten Ways To Save Money In Your Bathroom

Ten Ways To Save Money In Your Bathroom

 

When I walk into a room at someone’s house, my eyes often spy a number of ways that they could be saving money just based on the items in the bathroom. Here are ten money-saving tips to reduce spending on regular bathroom usage.
Toilet paper Buy it in bulk from your local warehouse store, then know how to minimize usage. It only takes a few sheets to do the job, so when you use big wads of it, you’re basically flushing money down the toilet.
Toilet tank Take a 20 ounce soda bottle, fill it with water, then drop it into your water tank mid-flush. The tank will fill up as normal, but will be holding 20 ounces less water. Each time you flush thereafter, the tank will dump less water into the bowl. Most bowls are designed to be larger than necessary for domestic use, so this little trick can save many gallons of water a month without any change in lifestyle, trimming the water bill.
Shower Install a low-flow shower head - or at least an adjustable one - and stop dumping water down the drain. I generally use a pretty light water flow for washing everything except for my hair - all I need to do is wet myself down, then scrub without the water, then just rinse myself off. There’s little need for strong water flow for that.
Soap Buy soap in large bundles - this is one product that you can save a ton of money on by buying years’ worth at once. I’ve purchased 24 packs of soap in the past and used them for a very long time, reducing the cost per bar to less than half over buying individual ones.
Laundry At home, I typically use one towel for every two showers. I’m essentially just wiping clean water off of my clean body, so the first time around I just hang the towel on a towel rack. This reduces the bathroom laundry by half.
Toothbrushes Never, ever throw away an old toothbrush - and you likely shouldn’t buy one, either. At each visit, my dentist gives me a new toothbrush, which I use until the next dentist visit. I then keep the old ones for other uses - toothbrushes make very effective cleaners in tight places.
Hand soap Buying hand soap in large containers and then just refilling the smaller dispensers when they empty is substantially cheaper than just tossing an empty container and buying a new one. Buy a big jug and you’ll likely have a year or two worth of bathroom hand soap.
Toilet bowl cleaner Never buy store-bought toilet bowl cleaner unless you have exceptionally hard water. Instead, just sprinkle some baking soda all over the inside of the bowl, add a little white vinegar, leave it for a few minutes (it’ll foam a bit and such), then scrub it down with a toilet brush and flush it. No blue water, either.
Razors If you’re a guy and are using disposables or an electric razor, take a serious look at shaving with a traditional safety razor. Over the long run, they’re cheaper than both the electric razor and the disposable razor and I feel they give a better shave once you’re used to them.
The sink Master the fine art of using the plug. Instead of letting the water run while brushing your teeth or shaving or washing your face, instead just plug the drain, let enough water run so that your needs are met by the water in the basin, and do your thing. When you’re done, just let the water out. By letting the faucet run while brushing or doing similar tasks, you waste a substantial amount of water.

Water Conservation A Way of Life

Water

Conservation A Way

of Life

Remember where water comes from and where it goes.

A 10 minute shower uses 50 to 100 gallons of water.

A toilet flush uses about 7 gallons. (1 cu ft)

Water taps/faucets use about 5 gallons waiting for hot water.

Water leaks can soak up 100’s to 1000’s of gallons per day.

To conserve water:

When flushing a toilet, place a bottle of water or a brick to displace water.

When using water outside, use a pistol grip nozzle on the end of your hose.

Turn water off, while shaving, brushing your teeth or washing your face.

Sweep your sidewalks and driveways with a broom instead of washing with water.

Turn the dishwasher on only when it is full.

Keep grass 1.5 to 2 inches long to develop deeper roots. This will result in reduced watering demand.

Water the lawn in the morning, between 4 to 6 am.  Deep soak it to keep water from evaporating and to encourage deep root growth.

Remember to follow your water utilities established lawn watering schedule.

Use the waste basket for tissues etc. not the toilet.

Instead of a full tub baths, fill tub halfway. Take quick showers and consider turning water off while soaping.

Conservation does not make life difficult. With a little common sense we can do our part to ensure everyone has adequate water supplies for the future. A little consideration goes a long way.

PS.

Before disposing used water down the drain – consider if it can be used for watering the lawn.

See if you can collect rainwater to be used for watering the lawn.

When draining water heater or pool etc., see if the water can be used to water the lawn.

See if you can harvest and utilize rainwater for watering laws etc.

Water Conservation Checklist for the Home

How much water do you use in a day? A gallon? Ten gallons? Few people know how much they use. The amount is likely to be 60 gallons per person per day. This figure has tripled since 1900!
Imagine what it would be like to turn on the tap and find nothing there. People in some parts of the country know this can happen. They are learning how to conserve water. They know that water is a limited resource.
Now, water shortages are a local or regional problem. But in recent years all parts of Montana have experienced drought problems. It is wise to learn now how to conserve nature's precious supply of fresh water.
This checklist is designed to help you see how effectively you are using water, and to alert you to ways to save it. While many of the steps may seem extreme - give a moment's thought to what extreme actions you would have to take if your water supply was curtailed.
Use, Gallons Used per Day
1. Dishwashing, 15
2. Cooking, drinking 12
3. Utility sink (washing hands, etc.), 5
4. Laundry, 35
5. Bathing, 80
6. Bathroom sink, 8
7. Toilet, 100
TOTAL 255

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As you read this list, think about the steps you have already taken to conserve water. Note what you still need to do to become a better manager of water resources. PLUMBING

• Install flow control devices in showers.
   
• Or, limit the amount of shower water by the way you use hot and cold water faucets.

• Cut off all water if you are going to be away from home on a vacation or trip. This keeps children from turning on outside faucets while you are away.

• Check to see how often your home water softening equipment regenerates and backwashes. It can use as much as 100 gallons of water each time it does this. You may want to cut down on the use of such equipment. Reserve softened water for kitchen use, bathing and laundry. Use unsoftened water for all other purposes. This may require a bypass line but this is advisable under any circumstances.

• Insulate hot water pipes to reduce the amount of water that must be run to get hot water to the faucet.

• If possible, locate the hot water heater as close as possible to bathroom, kitchen and laundry areas. The closer the heater is to the faucet, the less water has to be run. For this reason, it's sometimes better to have two small water heaters located in strategic places.

• Check faucets for drips. Make repairs promptly. These problems get worse--never better. (See Extension Publication EB 16, "Home Fitness," for repair details)

• Teach children to turn water faucets off tightly after use.

• See if your toilet continues to flow after flushing. Put a small amount of food coloring into the tank. If the color trickles into the bowl, there is a leak and repairs are needed. (See Extension Publication EB 16, "Home Fitness," for repair details.)

• Place a quart plastic (not glass) bottle filled with water in your toilet flush tank to save 1 quart of water per flush.

• Don't use a brick to till space in your toilet flush tank. Brick particles could damage valves.

• You can adjust the float level of the toilet to reduce the amount of water necessary to flush the toilet. Do this carefully to avoid damaging the system.

• In buying a new toilet, look for a "low volume" model. They don't use as much water per flush.

• Use "gray" water (saved from cleaning, bathing) to flush the toilet. Note: Put the "gray" water into the bowl--not the flush tank--when it needs flushing. Otherwise, if the system loses pressure, "gray" water in the tank could back-siphon and get into your drinking water system.

• Avoid using the toilet as a trash basket for facial tissues and similar items. Each flush uses 5 to 7 gallons of water.

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LAUNDRY

• Wash only full loads of laundry.

• Buying a new washing machine? An automatic clothes washer uses 32-45 gallons of water per load. Shop carefully and look for these features:
  Models that use less water. Capacity to fill needs. Don't buy a larger machine than you need. "Float fill" models that provide a more accurate control of the amount of water used than "time" fill. Water level controls so you can adjust the amount of water you use, depending on the load. "Suds saver" models that save wash water for later loads.
• Use the "gray" water that siphons from your washing machine into a laundry tub for cleaning, to flush the toilet, or water plants. See directions for using "gray" water on plants. Use all "gray" water as soon as possible. Do not store longer than 24 hours.

• Save handwashing jobs and do them all together. If possible, use the same sudsy water for several items. Make one rinse do the job of two.

• Check garments to make sure they need washing. Don't wash clothes more often than necessary.

• Avoid buying new clothes that require separate washings.

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PERSONAL CARE

• Urge family members to take showers instead of tub baths. Baths take as much as 30-50 gallons of water. Showers use 5-15 gallons of water per minute.

• Cut down on the number of showers taken. Replace some of them with sponge baths using a small amount of water in a basin.

• Limit shower time to 2 minutes or less.

• Relax with massage, stretching, or exercises instead of showers to save water.

• Turn off shower water while you apply soap to body or lather hair.

• If possible, close bathtub drain during shower so that all the water stays in the tub. Use this to flush the toilet or water outdoor plants.

• Turn off water while you shave, brush teeth, etc.

• Encourage children to change into play clothes after school so that school and play clothes can be worn several times.

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FOOD PREPARATION

• Save water used to wash produce and to do other kitchen chores by placing a bowl or basin under the faucet. Use water saved for cleaning, watering plants, and similar chores.

• To get warm water, turn hot water on first; then add cold water as needed. You get warm water quicker this way and save water.

• Reduce the use of garbage disposals--which use as much as 2 gallons of water per minute--by peeling vegetables, eggs and other foods on newspapers. Wrap the food waste and dispose of it with the trash. Or, use food waste in a garden compost pile.

• Use only the amount of water necessary to cook foods such as frozen vegetables and stews. You'll preserve nutritional value as well as save water.

• Cook foods over low heat in pans with tightly fitted lids to reduce evaporation of liquid.

• Plan more one-dish casserole meals in which vegetables are cooked without adding cooking water.

• Use a tea kettle to heat water and avoid loss of water through evaporation.

• Time foods that must boil so that too much evaporation does not take place.

• Select the proper size pans for cooking. Pans that are too large require more cooking water.

• Use a pressure cooker to save time and water.

• If possible, cover or wrap foods in aluminum foil during baking or roasting to cut down on the evaporation of liquid.

• Save leftover vegetable juices for reconstituting soups, cooking raw or frozen vegetables and stews, and making gravy. Use within a day or two.

• Use leftover fruit juices for drinking and making gelatin salads.

• Store drinking and meal preparation water for a short period of time, 24 hours or less, if an emergency water shortage seems likely. Use clean plastic or glass jugs with tight fitting lids. Keep in the refrigerator.

• Chill water in bottles in the refrigerator to avoid running water. Shake bottle before serving to incorporate air in the water so that it doesn't taste flat.

• Put drinking water on the table only if people really drink it.

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DISHWASHING

• Cut down on the number of utensils used in preparing food, and on the plates and glassware used with meals. This will save on dishwashing.

• Wash only full loads of dishes in dishwasher. A dishwasher uses about 14 gallons of water per load.

• Avoid unnecessary rinsing of dishes that go into the dishwasher. Scrape if necessary.

• If washing dishes by hand, use one pan of soapy water for washing and a second pan of hot water for rinsing. Wash least dirty dishes first.

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HOUSEHOLD CLEANING

• Wipe up small spills as they occur to avoid frequent mopping of floors.

• Regularly vacuum carpets and rugs so you won't need to shampoo them too often. Take care of spots as they occur.

• "Collect" household cleaning chores. Do them together to save water.

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HOUSE PLANTS

• Use rinse water saved from bathing or clothes washing to water indoor plants. Do not use soapy water on indoor plants. It could damage them.

• Water indoor plants only when needed. Too much water can damage plants.

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OUTSIDE THE HOME
 

• Car washing can use a lot of water. You may have to lower your standards and wash the car less often.

• Drive your car onto your lawn before you wash it. Water if needed grass as you wash your car.

• Use a bucket of sudsy water to remove soil from the car. Hose down only as a final rinse.

• Take advantage of a soft summer rain to wash your car. Get out there with soap and a sponge!

• If you go to a car wash, patronize one that recirculates water.

• If water supply permits use of outdoor pool, cover the pool when it's not being used to prevent evaporation.

• Clean the swimming pool filter often. Then you won't have to replace the water as often.

• Soapy water that comes from soap you can use on your skin if OK for outdoor plants. Do not use water with bleach or borax compound in it on plants. It could damage them. Rinse water can be used on outdoor or indoor plants.

• If water is rationed or otherwise restricted, lawns and annuals should receive the lowest priority for outside watering. Trees and shrubs are more expensive to replace and should receive any available water.

• "Mulch" to retain moisture in the soil. Spread leaves, lawn clippings, newspapers or plastic around plants. Mulching also controls weeds that compete with garden plants for water.

• Try "trickle" or "drip" irrigation systems in outdoor gardens. These methods use 25-50 percent less water than hose or sprinkler methods. A tiny plastic tube runs along the ground near plants. The trickle system provides many tiny holes to water closely placed plants. The drip system tubing contains holes or openings at strategic places for tomatoes and other plants that are more widely spaced.

• If you are using a garden hose or sprinkler, water the garden less frequently but water it thoroughly. Don't let water run down driveway or street.

• Use a broom, not the hose, to clean the garage, the sidewalks and the driveway.

Water Conservation Checklist for Your Business

Awareness

• How much water is your business using now, and for what purpose?
• How much does your business pay for water?
• Do you know how to read your water meter?
• Are all employees aware of the goal to conserve water?
• Is there a contact person for water use questions?
• How will employees know when they've been successful in conserving water?

Finding Leaks

One way to detect leaks is to shut down all water-using facilities for some time period and read the water meter before and after. Did the reading change at all?
Are there dripping faucets, toilet tanks that don't seal, or leaking hoses? Toilet tanks can be checked with a few drops of food coloring. After 15 minutes without flushing, does any color show up in the bowl?

Eliminating Unnecessary Use

Is water being used in places where it is not really needed?
Which tasks could be readily accomplished with less water? For example, could floors be swept instead of hosed down?
Does water from sprinkler systems reach the plants that need it, or does much of it evaporate in the air or run off? Evaporation is especially high for sprinklers that make small droplets, spray them high into the air, and operate during the hottest part of the day.
Are some plants getting more water than they need?
Could drought-resistant landscaping provide an equally appealing look?

Installing Efficient Equipment

Which of the following might be feasibly installed in your business:
Faucet aerators, low flow showerheads, on-off valves on showerheads or hoses, toilet tank displacement devices, low-flow or vacuum flush toilets, water-efficient chillers?

Getting Help

Could your business use assistance from water conservation experts?
Utilizing thermal imaging to detect leaks

Test Yourself... Using Your Water Conservation Checklist

Test Yourself... Using Your Water Conservation Checklist

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This checklist is designed to help you see how
effectively you are using water, and to alert you to ways
to save. Some actions suggested are more severe than
others and would need to be implemented only in an
emergency situation---and are indicated as such.
As you read this list, check the steps you have
already taken to conserve water. Note what you still need
to do to become a better manager of water resources.
Concentrate on the big water uses first.
Inspect the plumbing system to see there are no
leaks.
Install flow control devices in showers. Or, limit
the amount of shower water by the way you use the
controls for the hot and cold water faucets, or a mixer
faucet.
Turn off all water if you are going to be away from
home on a vacation or trip. This keeps children from
turning on outside faucets while you are away.
Check to see how often your home water softening
equipment regenerates and backwashes. It can use as much
as 100 gallons of water each time it does this. You may
want to cut down on the use of such equipment. Reserve
softened water for kitchen use, bathing, and laundry. Use
unsoftened water for all other purposes. (This may
require a bypassline but this is advisable under any
circumstances).
Insulate hot water pipes. Having to clear the "hot"
line of cooled water is wasteful.
Check all faucets, inside and out, for drips. Make
repairs promptly. These problems get worse---never
better.
Teach children to turn water faucets off quickly and
tightly after each use.
A toilet leak can waste lots of water. Put a small
amount of food coloring into the tank. If the color
trickles into the bowl, there is a leak and repairs are
needed.
Water required to flush some toilets can be reduced.
Experiment by placing a quart plastic (not glass) bottle
filled with water in the flush tank to save 1 quart of
water per flush. (Don't use a brick to fill space in your
toilet flush tank. Particles from the brick could damage
the valve).
Or, you can adjust the float level of the toilet to
reduce the amount of water necessary to flush the toilet.
Do this carefully to avoid damaging the system. Try only
a slight adjustment.
Never use the toilet as a trash basket for facial
tissues, etc. Each flush uses 5 to 7 gallons of water.
Items carelessly thrown in could clog the system and adds
to the sewage disposal problems.
Laundry
Wait until you have a full load before washing items,
or use a lower water level setting.
Save handwashing jobs and do several items at one
time. Example: wash a weeks supply of hosiery rather than
daily.
Check garments to make sure they need washing. Don't
wash clothes more often than necessary.
Encourage children to change into play clothes after
school so that school and play clothes can be worn
several times.

Personal Care
Urge family members to take showers instead of tub
baths. Showers---especially those fitted with flow
restrictors or low-volume heads---usually use less water
than a bath. Plug the tub during a shower and compare the
water used with that for a bath. Limit shower time to 2
minutes or less.
Cut down on the number of showers taken. Replace some
of them with sponge baths using a small amount of water
in a basin.
Seek other ways to relax besides staying in the
shower for long periods of time.
Turn off shower water while you apply soap to body,
or lather hair and massage scalp.
Turn off water while you shave, brush teeth, etc.
Food Preparation
Use a pan of water when peeling and cleaning
vegetables and fruits rather than letting the sink tap
run.
To get warm water, turn hot water on first; then add
cold water as needed. You get warm water quicker this way
and save water, too.
Limit use of a garbage disposal. Save food scraps and
run the disposal once to conserve water. You can use the
disposal even less by saving food scraps for a compost
pile.
Use the smallest amount of water necessary to cook
foods such as frozen vegetables and stews. You'll
preserve nutrients as well as save water.
A tight-fitting lid on a pan saves water from boiling
away and also cooks food faster, thereby using less
energy.
Plan more one-dish meals in which vegetables are
cooked or baked without adding water.
Use a tea kettle or covered pan to heat water and
avoid loss of water through evaporation.
Time foods during the cooking process to avoid over
cooking and loss of liquids through evaporation.
Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans
require more cooking water.
Use a pressure cooker to save water, energy, and
time.
A bottle of drinking water kept cold in your
refrigerator saves running the tap to get cold water.
Save leftover vegetable juices for soups, cooking raw
or frozen vegetables, stews, and making gravy.
Refrigerate and use juices within a day or two.
Using syrups and juices from canned goods saves water
and makes foods taste better. Use leftover fruit juices
for drinking and making gelatin salads.
Meal Service
Chill water in bottles in the refrigerator to avoid
running excess water from the lines to get cold water for
meals. Shake bottle before serving to incorporate air in
the water so that it doesn't taste flat.
Put drinking water on the table only if people really
drink it.
Dishwashing
Cut down on the number of utensils used in food
preparation, and on the plates and glassware used with
meals. This will save on dishwashing water used to clean
them.
Wash only full loads of dishes in dishwasher. A
dishwasher uses about 9 to 13 gallons of water per cycle.
Avoid unnecessary rinsing of dishes that go into the
dishwasher for immediate washing. Scrape if necessary.
When washing dishes by hand, use one pan of soapy
water for washing and a second pan of hot water for
rinsing. Rinsing in a pan requires less water than
rinsing under a running faucet.
Household Cleaning
Wipe up small spills as they occur to avoid frequent
mopping of floors.
Regularly vacuum carpets and rugs so you won't need
to shampoo them as often. There is less danger of
permanent stains when you take care of spots as they
occur.
"Collect" household cleaning chores. Do them together
to save water. Clean the more lightly soiled surfaces
first---the mirrors, walls, woodwork, and then floors.
House Plants
Use rinse water saved from bathing or clothes washing
to water indoor plants. Do not use soapy water on indoor
plants. It could damage them.
Water indoor plants only when needed. Too much water
can damage plants.
Outside the Home
Car washing, if you use the hose down method, can use
a lot of water. You may have to lower your standards and
wash the car less often.
Use a bucket of warm sudsy water to remove soil from
the car. Hose down only as a final rinse.
Take advantage of a soft summer rain to wash your car.
Get out there with soap and a sponge! Children will enjoy
this.
If water supply permits use of an outdoor pool, cover
the pool when it's not being used to prevent evaporation.
Clean the swimming pool filter often. Then you won't
have to replace the water as often.
Use a broom, not the hose, to "sweep" the garage, the
sidewalks, and the driveway.
Garden and Lawn
Vegetables requiring more water should be grouped
together in the garden to make maximum use of water
applications.
"Mulch" shrubs and other plants to retain moisture in
the soil longer. Spread leaves, lawn clippings, chopped
bark or cobs, or plastic around the plants. Mulching also
controls weeds that compete with garden plants for water.
Mulches should permit water to soak into the soil.
Try "trickle" or "drip" irrigation systems in outdoor
gardens. These methods use 25 to 50 percent less water
than hose or sprinkler methods. The tube for the trickle
system has many tiny holes to water closely spaced
plants. The drip system tubing contains holes or openings
at strategic places for tomatoes and other plants that
are more widely spaced.
If you are using a garden hose or sprinkler, water
the garden thoroughly, but less frequently. Don't let
water run down driveway or street.
Lawns should be watered during hours when the water
system experiences the least demand---usually avoid
watering when windy or in heat of day---and keep track of
the time. Set an alarm clock or timer as a reminder. A
sprinkler left on overtime in one spot wastes water.
Less frequent but heavier lawn watering encourages a
deeper root system to withstand dry weather better.