Outdoor Water Use
Outdoor water use is typically the most noticeable increase on your water bill. As seasons change, so does your water use. Try these handy tips to help reduce your seasonal fluctuations.
1. Keep a trigger-type nozzle on all outdoor hoses.
2. Watering in the early morning or late evening, and never on a windy day, reduces the evaporation rate, so more of the water gets to where it's needed the most.
3. If planting or reseeding a lawn, look for drought resistant varieties. Grasses developed for more arid regions require less water to maintain.
4. Instead of washing, sweep walkways, driveways, patios and decks.
5. Use a bucket to wash cars.
6. Install drip irrigation or timed sprinklers, and keep adjusted to the areas they're intended to service to minimize or eliminate runoff. Consider hand watering smaller areas with a hose.
7. Keep all sprinklers and drip irrigation in good working condition to maximize savings and reduce waste.
8. Teach children to not leave hoses running.
9. Cover pools and spas when not in use to reduce evaporation.