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WATER CONSERVATION TIPS
With little rainfall and hot and dry summer months, the valley must carefully manage limited water supplies. So throughout the year, Castaic Lake Water Agency is asking all customers to rethink water consumption and to reduce water usage by 10 percent. Here are the top 10 easy ways you can conserve:
- Adjust your sprinklers. Up to 80 percent of residential water use goes to maintaining our yards. Is your irrigation system running every day? That's too much! Try taking a day off the timer, preferably the same day the lawn is mowed, and watch the health of your yard improve.
- Check your system. Do a weekly check for broken or clogged sprinkler heads and replace them right away. Make sure you are watering your yard and not the driveway or sidewalk.
- Do you see water runoff from your yard each time you water? It could mean the lawn needs aeration. When you aerate your lawn, you give the water somewhere to go besides down the storm drain.
- Fix those leaks. A quarter gallon per minute leak, or just more than a drip, wastes over 10,000 gallons per month. A leaking flapper on a toilet also increases flows at the water treatment plant.
- Plant drought-tolerant plants. Many of the lawns and plants we use are not intended for the unique climate in the Santa Clarita Valley. Come visit the Conservatory Garden at 27234 Bouquet Canyon Road for Water Wise plant ideas that work well in the Valley.
- Use a broom instead of a hose. Sweeping up rather than hosing off leaves or grass clippings not only saves water, but putting them into a green yard waste recycling container saves landfill space as well.
- Get an adjustable hose nozzle with a shutoff feature for outdoor use. That way you can adjust the spray to meet your needs. Five minutes of an open hose running is the same as a twenty-minute shower.
- Take shorter showers. Cutting 2 minutes off your shower time can save 600 gallons a month for a family of four. If you change the showerhead to a water efficient model that is available from your water purveyor, you could save even more.
- Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
- Try washing with only full loads. Waiting until you have a full load versus washing many smaller loads can save you up to 20 gallons for the same amount of clothes.
CLWA provides free water saving devices to Santa Clarita Valley residents at its annual Open House in May and at other community events or by calling 661-297-1600.
- Showerheads
- Faucet aerators
- Hose nozzles
Click here for more tips on how to save water indoors and outdoors.
Saving water around your home
Pipes & Hardware
- Check for leaks
- Insulate your water pipes. You'll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
- Consider installing an "instant" water heater on sinks that are located from main waterheaters so the water doesn't run while it heats up. This will reduce heating costs for your household. These units are sometimes referred to as "point of use" water heaters.
- Fix faucets
Bathroom
- Fix toilet leaks. Check the toilet for worn out, corroded or bent parts.
- Take shorter showers, replace showerheads with an ultra-low-flow showerhead. Some units are available that allow you to cut off the flow without adjusting the water temperature knobs.
- Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain first and filling the tub only 1/3 full.
- Don't let water run while brushing your teeth, shaving or washing your face.
- Retrofit household faucets by installing aerators with flow restrictors.
Kitchen
- Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded or properly set the water level for the size of load you are using.
- When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water. Rinse in another basin filled with hot, clear water.
- Store drinking water in the refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool glass of water.
- Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or by using the defrost setting on your microwave.
Saving water outdoors
Your Lawn
- It's easy to over-water your lawn! A good rain can eliminate the need for watering for as long as two weeks. If your grass springs back up after you step on it, it does not need to be watered.
- Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speeds are the lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
- If you see water runoff from your yard each time you water, it could mean that the lawn needs aeration. When you aerate your lawn, you give the water somewhere to go besides down the storm drain.
Irrigation & Sprinklers
- Don't water your street, driveway or sidewalk. Position sprinklers so that water lands on the lawn and shrubs, not paved areas.
- Install sprinklers that are the most water-efficient for each use. Microsprinklers, drip irrigation, high efficiency nozzles and soaker hoses are examples of water-efficient methods of irrigation.
- Do a weekly check for broken or clogged sprinkler heads and replace them right away.
Gardening
- Raise your lawn mower blade to at least three inches. A lawn cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds in soil moisture better than a closely-clipped lawn.
- Avoid over-fertilizing your lawn. The application of fertilizers increases the need for water especially in the
 summer months. Don't fertilize monthly; instead, apply fertilizers which contain slow-release, water-insoluble forms of nitrogen.
- Mulch to retain moisture in the soil. Mulching also helps to control weeds that compete with plants for water.
- Plant drought-tolerant grasses, ground covers, shrubs and trees. They require less watering and they usually will survive a dry period without any watering. Visit CLWA's Conservatory Garden to see examples of water-efficient plants and irrigation methods.
Maintenance
- Do not hose down your driveway or sidewalk. Use a broom to clean leaves and other debris from these areas.
- Outfit your hose with a nozzle that stops water flow completely when not actually using the water. Remember to turn off the water at the faucet when you are finished using the hose.
- Do not leave sprinklers or hoses unattended. Your garden hose can pour out 600 gallons or more in only a few hours. Use a timer to remind yourself to turn it off.
- Check all hoses, connectors and spigots regularly. Replace hose washers to eliminate leaks.
Car Wash
- Consider using a commercial car wash that recycles water. Ask at the car wash if they recycle water; often they will display a sign stating that they do.
- If you wash your own car, use a bucket for the soapy water and a shut-off nozzle for your hose.
General Water Saving Guidelines
- Create an awareness of the need for water conservation among your children. Avoid the purchase of recreational water toys that require a constant stream of water.
- Report all significant water losses (broken pipes, open hydrants, errant sprinklers on public property, etc.) to your local water company.
- Support projects that will lead to an increased use of reclaimed wastewater (recycled water) for irrigation uses.
- Encourage your friends and neighbors to be part of a water conscious community. Promote water conservation in community newsletters, on bulletin boards and by example.
- Conserve water because it is the right thing to do. Don't waste water just because someone else is footing the bill, such as when you are staying at a hotel.
- Try to do one thing each day that will result in saving water. Remember, every drop counts. And every person can make a difference!
- Encourage your school system to help develop and promote a water conservation ethic among children and adults. CLWA offers a free School Education Program for Santa Clarita Valley students in Kindergarten through 12th Grade. Not only can your child have fun, but he or she can learn about water and conservation while having fun.
Do you have a water-saving tip that isn't listed here? If so, send it to us by clicking here.
To get even more ideas for saving water around the home, please visit the "Virtual Home" website at www.H2ouse.org
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