Direct users to adopt the following conservation measures.
(A) Indoor residential use.
(1) Conservation for voluntary and mandatory conservation measures.
(a) Use dishwashers only when they are full. Washing dishes by hand (don’t let the tap run!) saves about 25 gallons.
(b) Adjust water level on clothes washing machines, if possible. Use full loads only, if not adjustable.
(c) Turn off faucets while brushing teeth and the like. Saves about five gallons per day.
(d) Reduce water used per flush by installing toilet tank displacement inserts.
(e) Do not use the toilet as a trash can.
(f) Use sink and tub stoppers to avoid wasting water.
(g) Keep a bottle of chilled water in the refrigerator for drinking.
(h) Find and fix leaks in toilet, which can leak silently. Place a drop of food coloring in the upper tank and don’t flush for 30 minutes. If color appears in the bowl, there’s leakage.
(i) Adapt plumbing with flow-restricting or other water-saving devices. Learn to read your water meter to keep track of the difference conservation makes.
(j) Take shorter showers and shallower baths.
(k) Reduce the number of toilet flushes per day.
(l) Don’t use a garbage disposal.
(2) Conservation for emergency conversation or rationing phase (in addition to the measures listed in division (A)(1) above):
(a) Turn off shower while soaping up.
(b) Use disposable eating utensils.
(B) Outdoor residential use.
(1) Conservation for normal conditions and voluntary conservation phase.
(a) Lawns.
1. Water before 10:00 a.m. to prevent evaporation which occurs during the hottest part of the day.
2. Water only when lawn shows signs of wilt. Grass that springs back when stepped on does not need water.
3. Water thoroughly, not frequently: long enough to soak roots.
4. Don’t let the sprinkler run any longer than necessary.
5. Allow maximum of one inch of water per week on your lawn.
6. Use pistol-grip nozzles on hoses to avoid waste when watering flowers and shrubs.
7. Aerate lawns by punching holes six inches apart. This allows water to reach the roots rather than run off surfaces.
8. Position sprinklers to water the lawn, not the pavement.
9. Avoid watering on windy days, which causes excess evaporation.
10. Adjust hose to simulate a gentle rain not a fine mist.
11. Know how to turn off automatic sprinkler system in case of rain.
12. Use an audible timer to remind you to shut off sprinklers that don’t have timers.
(b) Vegetables and flower gardens.
1. Water deeply, slowly and weekly. Most vegetables require moisture to a depth of six to eight inches.
2. Keep soil loose so water can penetrate easily.
3. Use mulch around plants and between rows to hold in moisture.
4. Keep weeds pit to reduce competition of water.
5. Put the water where you want it and avoid evaporation by using soil-soakers or slow-running hoses, not sprinklers.
(c) Trees and shrubs.
1. Water deeply using a soil-soaker.
2. Water only when needed. Check the depth of soil dryness by digging with a trowel.
3. Mulch to reduce evaporation.
4. Dig troughs around plants to catch and retain water.
5. Water trees growing in full sun more often than those in shade.
6. Do not use sprinklers. Apply water directly at base.
7. Do not fertilize during the summer. Fertilizing increases a plant’s need for water.
8. Postpone planting until fall or spring when there is generally less need for water.
9. Water at night, when cloudy or even when a light rain is falling.
(2) Conservation for voluntary conservation phase (in addition to measures listed in division (B)(1) above).
(a) Do not allow children to play with hose or sprinklers.
(b) Limit car washing.
(c) Be ready to catch rainfall that occurs. Place containers under drainspouts.
(d) Use leftover household water.
(e) Consider delaying the seeding or sodding of new lawns.
(f) Determine the amount of water being used outdoors by comparing water bills for summer and winter.
(3) Conservation for mandatory conservation phase (in addition to measures listed in divisions (B)(1) and (B)(2) above).
(a) Vegetable gardens and food trees should be given minimal amounts of water on an individual basis only.
(b) Do not water lawns and inedible plants.
(c) Do not use sprinklers.
(C) Hospital and health care facility use.
(1) Reduce laundry usage or services by changing bed linens and the like, only when necessary to preserve the health of patients or residents.
(2) Use disposable food service items.
(3) Eliminate, postpone or reduce, as may be appropriate, elective surgical procedures during the period of emergency.
(D) Industrial use.
(1) Identify and repair all leaky fixtures and water-using equipment.
(2) Adjust water-using equipment to use the minimum amount of water required to achieve its stated purpose.
(3) Shorten rinse cycles for laundry machines as much as possible: implement lower water levels wherever possible.
(4) For processing, cooling and other uses, either re-use water or use water from sources that would not adversely affect public water supplies.
(5) Advise employees, students, patients, customers and other users not to flush toilets after every use. Install toilet tank displacement inserts; place flow restrictors in shower heads and faucets.
(6) Place water-saving posters and literature where employees, students, patients, customers and the like will have access to them.
(7) Check water meter on a frequent basis to determine consumption patterns.
(8) Review usage patterns to see where other savings can be made.
(Ord. O-07-002, passed 7-2-2007)