Commercial Tips
Many of the same conservation tips that apply at home can be used to conserve water in the workplace as well. We’ve provided some helpful tips below.
Many of the same conservation tips that apply at home can be used to conserve water in the workplace as well. We’ve provided some helpful tips below.
Apply only enough water to moisten the root zone of your plants (6 to 8 inches deep), to avoid runoff, and then allow the soil to dry before watering again.
Make sure the irrigation control is programmed correctly and set to adhere to the twice-per week designated watering days. Zones shouldn’t run for more than 10-15 minutes at a time. Shorter times can be used for areas that need less water.
Soil moisture sensors are available at garden and hardware stores and ensure that you aren’t overwatering your lawn or garden. See the Resources page for possible rebates.
Windy conditions can blow water onto areas that you aren’t intending to water, such as sidewalks, driveways and streets. Heavy wind also results in extreme evaporation.
Irrigation systems can be the biggest waster of water. Make sure to replace any broken heads and watch for mis-directed heads that may be watering the street. See the Resources page for possible rebates for water efficient upgrades.
Soaker hoses are great for use around trees, bushes, in flower beds and. These types of hoses are permitted without restriction, are extremely water efficient, and minimize evaporation. They are also perfect for those hard-to-water places between sidewalks and the street.
Taller grass holds moisture better. Don’t cut more than 1/3 of its length at one time. Shorter grass results in quicker dehydration of the soil.
Aeration allows water to soak into the ground and benefit the lawn. Packed soil results in unnecessary runoff. Setting your mower to “mulch” returns valuable nutrients to the soil.
To help the soil retain moisture, place at least a 6-inch layer of soil with high-quality compost mixed in to it.
Drought tolerant plants are beautiful as well as water-thrifty. See the Resources page on this site for wonderful guides to see a vast selection of these native plants.
Keep soil moist and protect roots from heat by placing a 2-3 inch layer of much. Avoid touching the trunk in order to prevent rotting from constant moisture. Mulch helps prevent runoff and provides weed control as well.
Watering too much can result in diseases of lawns and foliage and can also cause mold. And, why pay for using water that you don’t need?
Repairing leaky faucets can help save more water than you think. A 1/16” stream wastes almost 25,000 gallons per month.
Fixtures with WaterSense labels are certified to be 20 percent more efficient than the average plumbing fixture.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape dishes before washing and use quick wash setting. This will use less water and will your dishwasher won’t work as hard.
Make sure the flappers are working properly; you don’t necessarily have to hear them running for them to be losing water. A leaking toilet can lose thousands of gallons per month and is inexpensive to repair.
Never dispose of garbage in the toilet. It wastes water with each flush and results in damage to private property and city wastewater lines.
Toilets manufactured prior to 1992 aren’t efficient. Replace older toilets with high efficiency ones (1.3 gallons per flush) or install water displacement devices in the tank to reduce the amount of water used with each flush.