Water Conservation

Toilet flushing is by far the largest single use of water in a home. Most toilets use from four to six gallons of water for each flush. On the average, a dishwasher uses about 50 percent less water! Without counting lawn watering, typical percentages of water use for a family of four are:

• 40% Toilet flushing
• 32% Bath & shower
• 14% Laundry
• 6% Dishwashing
• 5% Cooking & drinking
• 3% Bathroom sink

If you experience a water leak, decreased water pressure in more than one faucet in your homes, discolored water, or toilets backing up, call H2O Consulting’s office at (281) 861-6215 to report a problem any time of the day or night.

Being Water Smart is easy! Here are some easy tips:

• Don’t over-water your lawn. One inch per week in the summer will keep most common grasses healthy. To determine how long you need to run your sprinklers, place empty cans at different distances away from your sprinkler and time how long it takes to fill one inch in each can.
• Prevent evaporation! Water lawns early in the morning or in late evening during the hotter summer months. Never water on windy days. If possible, install a drip irrigation system for bedded plants, trees, or shrubs. Use low angle sprinklers for the lawn. Water only the vegetation, not the street or driveway.
• Plant water-wise trees, shrubs and grass! Choose plants that are drought- and heat-tolerant.

• Outside Water Conservation
• Water your lawn only when it needs it, and when you do, water long enough to saturate the ground.
• Water during the cool part of the day. Early morning is best.
• Make sure you water the grass, not the paved areas!
• Plant trees and plants that are resistant to drought. Use mulch to keep the moisture in, and weeds out of your flowerbeds.
• Sweep the driveways and sidewalks with a broom, not the hose. Please do not put trash or lawn clippings down the drainage inlets.
• Don’t run the hose while washing the car.
• Teach your children not to play with the hose and sprinklers.
• Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, faucets, and couplings.

Please access the American Water Works Association website (www.awwa.org) for additional conservation tips!

A sprinkler system requires regular maintenance to avoid major water waste. Check sprinkler heads regularly to remove dirt or debris that may be clogging the tubes in which the nozzles retract and to ensure all the nozzles are operating at the proper pressure and not leaking. When spray heads are not working (turned off) they should be as close to the ground as possible to avoid damaging them with a lawn mower. Repair or replace broken heads, pipes, valves and seals as soon as possible. Once a month turn on your sprinkler system manually for a short time to make sure it is working properly. Our sprinkler system design should include a rain sensor to automatically adjust the cycle and prevent over watering.

We are all proud of the appearance of our property and our neighbor as a whole reflects that pride. Certainly everyone would agree that water use is a necessary part of maintaining that appearance but use water wisely for the sake of generations to come.

• Only 1% of the Earth’s water is fresh water available for humans to drink (97% of the Earth’s water is salt water, 2% is frozen).
• The U.S. has fresh water resources totaling about 660 trillion gallons.
• Americans tap into about 341 billion gallons daily.
• Water utilities monitor for more than 100 contaminants on a regular basis.
• More than 94% of American water utilities are in full compliance with health-based federal regulations annually.

Source: American Water Works Association website (www.awwa.org)

Do you suspect a leak? If so, do the following:

• Turn off all water inside and outside your home.
• Go outside to your meter box and open the cover.
• Locate the black or red triangular-shaped Leak Detector on the left beside the numbers.
• If the Leak Detector is not moving, you do not have a leak and no water is passing thru the meter.
• If the Leak Detector is moving, you do have a leak and you should call a plumber. Water leaks on the homeowner’s side of the meter are the homeowner’s responsibility.
• If there is water in the meter box, be sure it is not run-off water from sprinklers or rainfall before calling H2O Consulting’s office. It saves the District and homeowner’s money by checking this first before calling for service.
• If you are certain it is a leak outside of your home, please call H2O Consulting’s Customer Service at (281) 861-6215 or 24-hours a day.

Xeriscaping is a form of landscaping that is very thrifty with water. These are four of the basic ideas behind Xeriscaping:

• Use plants that are native or well-adapted to your area
• Water efficiently
• Improve the soil
• Use mulches to moderate soil temperatures and conserve moisture
• By putting these ideas into practice, you can dramatically reduce your home’s water use, especially during hot, dry weather—and you won’t have to sacrifice a beautiful yard to do it!

Source: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (www.tceq.texas.gov)