APPENDIX:  CONSERVATION MEASURES
Direct users to adopt the following conservation measures:
INDOOR RESIDENTIAL USE:
CONSERVATION FOR VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION PHASES:
   •   Use dishwashers only when they are full. Washing dishes by hand (don’t let the tap run!) Saves about 25 gallons.
   •   Adjust water level on clothes washing machines, if possible. Use full load only, if not adjustable.
   •   Turn off faucets while brushing teeth, etc. Saves about 5 gallons per day.
   •   Reduce water used per flush by installing toilet tank displacement inserts. A plastic jug may often be used as an alternative. DO NOT USE BRICKS - they disintegrate when soaked and the resulting grit hinders closing of the flap valve.
   •   Do not use the toilet as a trash can.
   •   Use sink and tub stoppers to avoid wasting water.
   •   Keep a bottle of chilled water in the refrigerator for drinking.
   •   Find and fix leaks in faucets and water-using appliances. Faucets can usually be fixed cheaply and quickly by replacing washers.
   •   Learn to read your water meter so you can judge how much water you use and what difference conservation makes.
   •   Take shorter showers and shallow baths. Saves about 25 gallons.
   •   Reduce the number of toilet flushes per day. Each flush uses about 5 gallons (2-3 if you have water saving toilets).
   •   Don’t use a garbage disposal.
   •   Use non-phosphate detergent and save laundry water for lawns and plants.
CONSERVATION FOR EMERGENCY CONSERVATION OR RATIONING PHASE (in addition to measures listed above):
   •   Turn off shower while soaping up.
   •   Use disposable eating utensils.
OUTDOOR RESIDENTIAL USE
CONSERVATION FOR NORMAL CONDITIONS AND VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION PHASE:
Lawns:
   •   Water before 10:00 a.m. to prevent evaporation that occurs during the hottest part of the day. Morning is better than evening, when the dampness encourages growth of fungus.
   •   Water only when lawn shows signs of wilt. Grass that springs back when stepped on does not need water.
   •   Water thoroughly, not frequently: long enough to soak roots. A light sprinkling evaporates quickly and encourages shallow root systems. Water slowly to avoid runoff.
   •   Don’t let the sprinkler run any longer than necessary. In an hour, 600 gallons can be wasted.
   •   Allow maximum of one inch of water per week on your lawn. To measure, place cake tins outside to collect rain and water from sprinklers.
   •   Use pistol-grip nozzles on hoses to avoid waste when watering flowers and shrubs.
   •   Aerate lawns by punching holes 6 inches apart. This allows water to reach roots rather than run off surfaces.
   •   Position sprinklers to water the lawn, not the pavement.
   •   Avoid watering on windy days when the wind not only blows water off target, but also causes excess evaporation.
   •   Keep sprinkler heads clean to prevent uneven watering.
   •   Adjust hose to simulate gentle rain. Sprinklers that produce a fine mist waste water through evaporation.
   •   Know how to turn off an automatic sprinkler system in case of rain.
   •   Use an alarm clock or stove timer to remind you to shut off sprinklers that don’t have timers.
Vegetables and Flower Gardens:
   •   Water deeply, slowly and weekly. Most vegetables require moisture to a depth of 6 to 8 inches.
   •   Keep soil loose so water can penetrate easily.
   •   Keep weeds out to reduce competition for water.
   •   Put the water where you want it and avoid evaporation by using soil-soakers or slow running hoses, not sprinklers.
Trees and Shrubs:
   •   Water deeply using a soil-soaker or drip-irrigation.
   •   Water only when needed. Check the depth of soil dryness by digging with a trowel.
   •   Mulch to reduce evaporation. A 2" to 3" layer of wood chips, pine needles, grass clippings or straw keeps the soil cool in summer.
   •   Dig troughs around plants to catch and retain water.
   •   Water trees growing in full sun more often than those in shade.
   •   Do not use sprinklers. Apply water directly at base.
   •   Do not fertilize during the summer. Fertilizing increases a plant’s need for water.
   •   Postpone planting until fall or spring when there is generally less need for water.
   •   Install trickle-drip irrigation systems close to the roots of your plants. By dripping water slowly, the system doesn’t spray water in to the air. Use soil probes for large trees.
   •   Water when cloudy, at night or even when a light rain is falling.
OUTDOOR RESIDENTIAL USE CONSERVATION FOR VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION PHASE (in addition to measures listed above):
   •   Do not allow children to play with hose or sprinklers.
   •   Limit car washing.
   •   Be ready to catch rainfall that occurs. Place containers under drain sprouts.
   •   Use leftover household water if available.
   •   Consider delaying the seeding or sodding of new lawns.
   •   Determine the amount of water being used outdoors by comparing water bills for summer and winter.
CONSERVATION FOR MANDATORY CONSERVATION PHASE (In addition to measures listed above):
   •   Vegetable gardens and food trees should be given minimal amounts of water on an individual basis only.
   •   Do not water lawns and inedible plants.
   •   Do not use sprinklers.
Most outdoor watering is prohibited under Emergency Conservation conditions.
HOSPITAL AND HEALTH CARE FACILITY USE:
   •   Reduce laundry usage or services by changing the linens, etc. only when necessary to preserve the health of patients or residents.
   •   Use disposable food service items.
   •   Eliminate, postpone, or reduce, as they may be appropriate, elective surgical procedures during the period of emergency.
INDUSTRIAL USE
   •   Identify and repair all leaky fixtures and water-using equipment. Give special attention to equipment connected directly to waterlines, such as processing machines, steam-using machines, washing machines, water-cooled air conditioners and furnaces.
   •   Assure that valves and solenoids that control water flows are shut off completely when the water-using cycle is not engaged.
   •   Adjust water-using equipment to use the minimum amount of water required to achieve its stated purpose.
   •   Shorten rinse cycles for laundry machines as much as possible; implement lower water levels wherever possible.
   •   For processing, cooling, and other uses, either re-use water or use water from sources that would not adversely affect public water supplies.
   •   Advise employees, students, patients, customers, and other users not to flush toilets unnecessarily. Install toilet tank displacement inserts; place flow restrictors in showerheads and faucets; close down automatic flushes overnight.
   •   Install automatic flushing valves to use as little water as possible or to cycle at longer intervals.
   •   Place water-saving posters and literature where employees, students, patients, customers’, etc. will have access to them.
   •   Check meters on a frequent basis to determine consumptive patterns.
   •   Review usage patterns to see where other savings can be made.
(Ord. passed - -2007)