Last winter was one of the driest on record. In response to the water shortage that resulted from meager rainfalls, the SFPUC asked the Town of Hillsborough and other municipalities under its jurisdiction to reduce water consumption by 10 percent in anticipation of drought conditions. Hillsborough has the highest per capita rate of water consumption in San Mateo County, as shown in the Sustainable San Mateo Report released in 2007. Please re-evaluate your water consumption practices and help Hillsborough become a more prudent consumer of our water resources. Below are some tips on how to conserve water inside and outside the home, as well as information on rebates that can help save money on water-conserving technologies. You can read about more water conservation methods at www.watersavinghero.com. Residential Indoor Conservation Residential Outdoor Conservation In the Kitchen and Laundry Rooms Don't leave the water running. Turn off the tap while washing dishes. Fill the sink or a pail to wash and rinse dishes. Check faucets and pipes for leaks. Even a small leak from worn washers can waste more than 50 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons. Equip faucets with aerators. Installing aerators on kitchen and bathroom sinks can reduce indoor water use by about 4 percent. Upgrade to an efficient clothes washing machine. High-efficiency clothes washers can reduce water and energy use by 40 percent.  Wash only full laundry loads. You don't need to do laundry every day. Wait until you have a full load of laundry to run the clothes washing machine and you'll save on water, wastewater and energy costs. In the Bathroom Check your toilet flapper. Over time, the flapper in your toilet tank becomes worn and does not work effectively to stop leaks into the etoilet bowl. Flappers can be easily found at hardware stores and are simple to install. Install low-flow showerheads. Replace older showerheads with new efficient models that use 2.5 gallons per minute or less. Older models can flow up to 7 gallons per minute and can waste thousands of gallons per month. Today's efficient models still produce great water pressure. Take shorter showers. Limit showers to the time it takes to lather up, wash down and rinse. A running shower can waste up to 7 gallons per minute. Change everyday habits-- turn off the tap! Running the water while brushing teeth and shaving can waste hundreds of gallons every month. Replace your old toilet. Toilets are the largest water user in the home. New high-efficiency toilet models flush at 1.2 gallons or less as possosed to older models, which use up to 7 gallons per flush. Do not use your toilet as a wastebasket. Even material like dental floss and cotton balls aggregate into large balls in the sewer system, and can lead to clogged pipes and overflows. Dispose of your waste in the garbage, not the toilet. Around Your Property Plant drought-tolerant species. Reduce outdoor water needs by planting species appropriate for the Bay Area's dry climate. Water your lawn only when it needs it. Over-watering the lawn is a common wasteful practice. Step on your lawn. If the grass springs back up when you remove pressure, it doesn't need watering. Deep-soak your lawn. Remember to water long enough to deep-soak grass roots -- this will reduce the frequency of watering schedules. A light sprinkling will sit on the surface of the turf and easily evaporate. Water during the cool part of the day. Reduce evaporation by watering lawns and plants only at night or early morning before dawn. Place mulch around trees and plants. A layer of mulch will slow the evaporation of moisture from your landscape and inhibit the growth of weeds. Install shut-off nozzles on all garden hoses. Make sure your garden hose has an automatic shut-off. 
Pick up a free copy of your Water-Wise Gardening CD at Town Hall! |
Sweep sidewalks and driveways. Hosing down pavement around your home can waste hundreds of gallons of water. A broom is the proper tool to clean these areas. Don't water the pavement. Position sprinkler heads to water lawns and gardens, not the pavement surrounding your landscape. Check for broken sprinkler heads and irrigation tubing. Broken sprinkler heads waste water and can potentially damage your landscape. Inspect these systems at least once a month. Don't let water run while washing the car. Clean the car with a bucket of soapy water. Use the hose only to rinse it off. |
