S S WATER CORPORATION

Water Conservation Tips

Conserve Water Inside Your Home

• Never use any more water than necessary to complete a task
• Fix leaks on faucets, sinks and toilets
• Take short showers instead of baths
• Turn off water while bushing teeth or shaving
• Install low-flow showerheads and toilets
• Keep cold beverages in the refrigerator and use ice only when needed
• Wash dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher (fill one side of sink with soapy water for washing and the other with clear water for rinsing)
• If using a dishwasher, make sure you have a full load
• Keep a container of cold water in the refrigerator instead of waiting for water to cool from faucet
• Fill sink half-way to rinse vegetables and fruit instead of rinsing one at a time under running water
• When washing clothes, make sure you have a full load; if not, select the correct water level
• When cleaning or emptying a fish tank, use the old water to water plants or for on the lawn

Conserve Water Outside Your Home

• Swimming pools should be covered when not in use so water does not evaporate
• Water lawn only when needed
• Water early in the morning or late at night
• Never water when it is windy; this causes water to evaporate and dry quicker
• Use drip irrigation for shrubs and flower beds
• Water hoses should have a trigger nozzle on them
• Use mulch around trees, plants and gardens to hole in moisture
• Save rain water to water plants
• When watering; set a timer, saves from over watering
• When using a sprinkler, be sure to adjust to water only where needed
• Instead of washing your driveway and sidewalks, sweep or use a blower
• After washing your vehicle, use left over water for plants or the lawn

Check for Leaks

Toilets

Just because you don't see any water doesn't mean that there isn't a leak. A toilet can fool you. Listen to it. Do you hear running water? Jiggle the handle. Check the flapper. Just don't let it run! Your toilet can be the biggest water waster in your home, wasting up to 1,440 gallons per day, or one gallon per minute. And that's one gallon too much.

Add a few drops of food coloring to the water in the tank, but don't flush. If coloring appears in the bowl within a few minutes, your toilet is leaking. If so, all it usually needs is a new toilet flapper, an easy and inexpensive repair job.

Jiggle the handle. It might be the chain, and you may need to adjust it.

Adjust the "adjustment screw" on the float to stop water from going into the overflow tube.

Faucets and Sinks

Drip! Drip! Drip! It'll drive you nuts.

That small, little irritation keeping you up all night will never go away unless you fix it. So fix it now before it becomes a problem. Do it yourself or call a plumber. Water is being wasted and your money is going down the drain. Even a small drip can waste as much as 170 gallons of water each day, or 5,000 gallons per month.

Your homeowner's insurance may even cover pipe leaks and water damage.

Check all waterline connections and faucets regularly.

Do you know where your master shutoff valve is located? It'll save time and money if pipes burst.

Check for underground leaks.

Turn off all indoor and outdoor faucets, then look at the meter. If the small dial is turning, you've got a leak.
 
Call a plumber immediately if the problem persists.

Prevent Pollution!

• Buy only the amount of fertilizers, pesticides or other hazardous chemicals that you need so that you don't have to dispose of the leftovers. Read all the labels and follow directions.
• Be an informed consumer. Consider alternatives if any of the following words are or on labels: caution, warning, danger, poison, flammable, volatile, caustic or corrosive.
• Use organic lawn and garden alternatives that do not contain synthetic chemical poisons.
• Recycle your used oil, automotive fluids, batteries and other products.
• Don't dispose of hazardous wastes in storm drains, wastewater systems, creeks, alleys or the ground. This pollutes the water supply.

Planning Your WaterSaver Landscape

Xeriscaping. What in the world does that word mean and how on earth do you pronounce it? Xeriscaping (or Xir-e-skaping) simply means using plants that require less water to survive and using objects such as bricks, rocks, benches, gravel, and deck areas instead of water-sucking grass. It doesn't mean that you have to convert your lawn into a rock garden. And you don't have to go cold turkey on your grass. There are all kinds of beautiful water saving groundcovers available that work well with or, should you be so bold, in place of grass.

1. Planning and Design
   How do you use your yard? For recreation? For looks? What kind of look are you going for?
   
   Discover how to use low-water flowers, plants and grasses in a variety of yards.
2. Use Turf Appropriately
   Choose low water requirement turf. Eliminate long, narrow strips of turf.
3. Irrigate Efficiently
   Hand watering is preferable. Group plants according to water usage.
4. Conditioning Soil
   Soil should be generally crumbly to the touch. Well-conditioned soil promotes water conservation by absorbing water more efficiently. Bare soil should be covered with mulch.
5. Mulching
   Apply 2-4 inches deep to minimize evaporation, reduce weed growth, and slow erosion.
6. Plant Selection
   Choose plants suitable to our South Central Texas climate.
7. Maintaining Landscapes
   Proper planning and design reduce maintenance time. Using native plants reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides.

Efficient Use of Water For Landscapes and Yards

Significant amounts of water are lost to evaporation, and that is why it is highly suggested to water outdoor areas before 10:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. (Although you can still water outdoors by hand at any time.)

Do not allow water to run off the lawn into the street. It is water.

Watering Efficiently

How do I know if I am using water well?

Make sure your system is operating well. Keep sprinkler heads adjusted to spray appropriate landscape areas and have your irrigation contractor check the system at least once every year. Next, review our advice on how much water to use with your hose-end or in-ground sprinkler system.

How much should I water?

Apply enough water to fill the whole soil profile.

What if I have a few brown spots appearing in my yard?

It is much more efficient to give your dry spots attention with hand held hoses rather than running your whole system. Home irrigation systems use between 1500-3000 gallons (or more for larger properties) each time they are run.

How much water do my trees and shrubs need?

Established trees and shrubs such as those on the recommended plant list do not need supplemental irrigation. They can survive dry periods well.

How often should I water?

In South Texas water your lawn once per week to develop deep roots and grass capable of taking advantage of the rain when it comes.

Water need varies greatly in the spring and fall, so keeping the same setting year-round will result in over-watering that is not good for plants. Use ¾” of water per week on St. Augustine or Zoysia grass that is in the full sun. In the shade grass will need only ½” of water to stay green and healthy. Bermuda grass requires ½” per week in the sun and buffalo grass slightly less.

How can I tell when I have put down ¾” of water?

To know how long to water, measure your sprinkler application rate.Put rain gauges throughout your landscape. As an alternative, put out several shallow, straight sided containers (tuna cans, Tupperware, cake pans etc.) before watering. Water for 20 minutes and then check the depth of the water in your containers. Estimate the average of the depth to see how much water you put down in 20 minutes. It may be the full ¾” or it could be a lot different. Every system is different, so it is important to measure.

What kind of sprinkler device should I buy to use with my hose?

Sprinklers that spray water parallel to the ground instead of up in the air are more efficient. You will lose less of the water to evaporation.

What about soaker hoses and drip irrigation?

Use drip irrigation for newly planted shrubs and trees. It is also best for the flower garden and vegetable garden. Soaker hoses and leaky hoses work well to accomplish drip irrigation. Turn the soaker hose spray to the ground and keep it operating at a slow leak to have it qualify as drip irrigation.

How do I keep the soaker hose at a slow-drip and why?

Water from the soaker hose will spread out to the side of the hose and slowly seep deeply into the soil profile when the water is applied slowly. If it is applied too quickly, it may run-off and not penetrate to the roots that need it. To accomplish this effect, turn your hose bib only ¼" turn and observe the hose to see that it is slowly seeping along its length. Soaker hoses should not exceed 100 feet in length. If many soaker hoses are connected in series, the water will not be distributed to the end of the hose.