One Habit at a Time: Save Water

We’ve already had our first raindrops of the season and let’s hope that we get more of them this year than we did last year.  Even if do, we still need to think about water conservation.  According to John Laird of the Sacramento Bee:

Growth in California could increase our population by a quarter in the coming decades. Most of that growth is projected in drier, inland areas of the state. The Sierra Nevada supplies all or part of the water used by at least 65 percent of Californians. Current climate change patterns are projected to cut the Sierra snowpack by half in the next century. The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, where millions of acre-feet of water are sent elsewhere, is in a fragile condition.

The challenge is magnified because most water demands occur in areas where the water isn’t — requiring not just additional water, but expensive conveyance systems to get water to the areas that need it. Those conveyance systems consume massive amounts of electricity. In fact, according to the Pacific Institute, 19 percent of California’s electricity is used to pump, clean, heat and treat water.

Many of these tips come from www.americanwater.com/49ways.htm
First some ideas that cost no money:

* Collect water for watering or cleaning when letting it warm up for dishwashing or for a shower.
* Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than running the tap to get a cool glass of water.
* Don’t let water run while shaving or washing your face or brushing your teeth.
* Showers use less water than baths. Reduce your shower time by 5 min/day to reduce CO2 emissions by 250 pounds a year. Use less water for a bath by closing the drain first and filling the tub only 1/3 full.
* Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile instead.
* Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded.
* Despite what your mother said, most dishwashers don’t need you to rinse the dishes before loading!
* When washing dishes by hand, fill one basin partially with soapy water. Quickly rinse under a slow-moving stream from the faucet. Wait to turn on the dishwasher until water is already heated from hand washing pots and pans.
* Turn off automatic sprinkling systems during the rainy months and supplement with hand-watering.
* Keep pools, spas and hot tubs covered and the heat off or on low when you are not actually in them.

Now some projects that cost a little bit of time and money, but pay for themselves quickly:

* Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, which use about half the water of regular fixtures.
* Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop per second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year. Repair leaking toilets while you’re at it.
* Insulate water pipes to get hot water faster. Consider installing an instant water heater on your kitchen sink.
* Install low or ultra-low flush toilets. The Toto brand is popular and doesn’t seem to have the problems associated with earlier low flush solutions.  Your local water company may even provide one or give you a rebate.
* Spend time this winter planning lower-water landscaping. Install drip irrigation or repair and adjust sprinkler heads. Common Ground and other garden centers offer classes to help you.

Need help with this?
* Schedule a Water-Wise House call from Santa Clara Valley Water District, (800)548-1882.  A trained water surveyor comes to your residence, provides information on programs and rebates, gives you free aerators or showerheads, does an evaluation of your home’s irrigation system and recommends a watering schedule.
* Check out  www.h2ouse.org/tour/ for ideas and information for every area of your house and garden.

Who can resist a “two-fer”? Many of these ideas save water and electricity!

First Presbyterian Church of Palo Alto
www.fprespa.org/coolplanet
November, 2007