VOORHEES, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Summer is just around the corner, and as the temperature rises, so
does water use, as Americans head outdoors to embrace time-honored
summer rituals from washing the car to watering the lawn. In fact,
according to the EPA's WaterSense program, water usage on a peak day in
the average American home spikes to 1,000 gallons per day, compared to
260 gallons off-peak. American Water (NYSE: AWK), the largest
investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company and a partner
of EPA WaterSense, offers 10 easy tips consumers can follow* to reduce
the environmental impact of their water habits both indoors and out.
- Water your lawn only when it
needs it. An easy test to tell if your lawn needs water is to simply
walk across the grass. If you leave footprints, it's time to water.
(An added benefit of watering less often is that fewer, deep-soaking
waterings encourage deep root growth and stronger turf.)
- Water in the early morning. As
much as 30 percent of water can be lost to evaporation by watering
during midday.
- Set your lawn mower one notch
higher to make your lawn more drought-tolerant.
- Use drip irrigation hoses to
water plants, and water in the early morning or evening.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to
clean your sidewalk, driveway, or patio.
- Forego the hose and wash your car
with a bucket and sponge instead. According to EPA WaterSense, a
hose left running can waste as much as six gallons per minute while
a bucket and sponge uses only a few gallons to do the job.
- Keep a bottle of cold tap water
in the refrigerator. You'll avoid the cost and environmental impact
of bottled water and you'll have cold water available in the summer
without running the faucet.
- Run dishwashers and clothes
washers only when they are full. If you have a water-saver cycle,
use it.
- Adjust the water level of your
clothes washer so it matches your load size.
- Regularly check your toilet,
faucets and pipes for leaks and have them fixed promptly. An easy
test for toilet leaks from EPA WaterSense: Place a drop of food
coloring in the tank. If the color tints the water in the bowl
without flushing, there's a leak. American Water also recommends
checking your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no
water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have
a leak. Leak detection kits are available by calling the American
Water Customer Service Center in your state or by visiting the
Learning Center at www.amwater.com for a downloadable pdf version.
Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S.
water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees,
N.J., the company employs more than 7, 000 dedicated professionals who
provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to
approximately 16 million people in 35 states and Ontario and Manitoba,
Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.
*Note that some areas have stricter water conservation guidelines.
Copyright Business Wire 2010
|