 REMEMBER....
SAVING WATER MEANS SAVING MONEY ON YOUR WATER BILL!
Water needs our help. We have the same amount of water today as we did when the Earth was formed. Constant use and pollution threaten our water resources. Some 600,000 pounds of industrial pollutants are pouring into our water resources every day. Experts estimate that non-point pollution (agricultural and urban runoff) combined with pollution by individuals, threatens our water resources more than industry.
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) Blue Thumbs project offers suggestions for taking better care of our water resources. It promotes three basic actions as the keys to water care:
- Conserve water
- Protect water from pollution
- Get involved in drinking water issues in your local community |
Each of us has a role in keeping water safe to drink. Just as "green thumb" people know how to care for plants, people with "blue thumbs" know how to take care of water.
We invite you to show your "blue thumb" and take action to conserve and protect our water resources every day. We can practice "blue thumb" action at home, at work, at school and in any public place. We all have the opportunity to make positive decisions every day affecting drinking water. For example, when we repair a dripping faucet or stop our sprinkler from operating on a rainy day, we have taken the opportunity to conserve water by stopping waste.
Buying recycled paper products can also conserve water. We can help protect our water sources by minimizing the use of toxic cleaners and fertilizers. By attending public meetings (Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, Regional Utility Authority), we can voice our concerns.
Whenever we use our "blue thumbs" to conserve water, protect it from pollution, or get involved in drinking water issues in our communities, we're giving drinking water the hand it deserves.
If your interested in ways to save water, keep reading.
DRINKING WATER COUNTS ON YOU.
PLEASE DO YOUR PART TO CONSERVE AND
PROTECT THE DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES.
Over the past few months, this site has been providing you with tip on how to save water both inside and outside your home. Besides changing some old habits there is another way to conserve water and lower your monthly water bill. Replacing devises like toilets and showerheads with low-flow units can make a substantial difference in monthly water consumption. Changing your kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators with ones manufactured after 1994 is another way to save water.
Without counting lawn watering, typical percentages of water use for a family of four are:
| - Toilet flushing: |
40% |
| - Bath and shower: |
32% |
| - Laundry: |
14% |
| - Dishwashing: |
6% |
| - Cooking and drinking: |
5% |
| - Bathroom sink: |
3% |
Okaloosa County Water and Sewer has joined with Friends of the Earth to urge the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement voluntary water-efficient labeling for consumer products. The proposal is endorsed by more than 100 public agencies, private businesses and non-profit organizations.
Sensible steps to conserve water resources are today more important than ever - for protecting our environment, for maintaining reliable water supplies, and for managing the growing costs of water and wastewater treatment service.
Widespread use of water-efficient product labels could help consumers make more informed decisions and save the nation more than 273 billion gallons of water and 15 billion kilowatts of energy each year, according to a recent study by the engineering and construction firm PMCL@CDM. Energy is used to pump and treat water and wastewater and to produce hot water, so saving water results in significant energy savings a well.
Research shows that consumers want to identify and select water-efficient products and they want the information to help them make purchases. Currently, no nationally recognized reference tool exists that identifies products as water-efficient. The proposal encourages EPA to request funding to establish a program modeled after the highly successful ENERGY STARr program, which informs consumers about a product's energy efficiently.
Under the proposal, EPA's role would be to develop a uniform water-efficiency logo and label, create a public marketing identity, and work closely with the manufacturing industry, retailers, environmental groups, and water utilities to crease voluntary testing protocols and standards for product qualifications in various categories. The program would be entirely voluntary.
Manufacturers who choose to participate would be authorized to use the EPA registered efficiency logo on their products if they submit independent lab tests showing they exceed the voluntary EPA standards. Commonly sold products that might qualify for a water-efficient label include appliances, plumbing products, cooling systems, irrigation equipment, landscape materials, and other commercial and industrial equipment.
Toilet
Toilet flushing is by far the larges single use of water in a home. Most toilets use from 4 to 6 gallons of water for each flush. In the United States, the National Energy Act of 1992 required low-volume toilets in new construction or as replacement in existing homes after January 1, 1994. Businesses were required to comply by 1997. Ultra-low-flow (ULF) toilets are available that use only 1.5 to 1.6 gallons of water per flush. To cut down on the amount of water used per flush in an older model toilet you may want to try putting something in the tank that takes up space. A glass jar, plastic bag or a jug filled with water will work. Make sure the item you use to displace the water does not interfere with the flushing apparatus in the tank. Some toilets require a certain volume of water to work right, so be sure to test the toilet to make sure it's still flushing well after any changes.
Showerhead
As with low-volume toilets, The National Energy Act of 1992 also required low-flow showerheads (less than 2.5 gallons each minute) in any new construction and as replacement after January 1, 1994. If you don't know how much water your showerhead uses per minute you can measure the water flow yourself. You need two things: a bucket and a watch that can time seconds. The bucket needs to have a 1-gallon mark on it. If it doesn't, add a gallon of water and mark the level. Set the shower flow just as you would when showering. Put the empty bucket under the showerhead to catch all the water and hold it there for 24 seconds (having someone else hold the watch probably will help make this easier). The bucket will weigh 8 to 10 pounds after the 24 seconds, so be prepared. If the water is near the 1-gallon mark, your showerhead is flowing at the recommended amount. If the level is way over the 1-gallon mark, you should consider a new low-flow showerhead to conserve water.
Faucet Aerator
Ever wonder why you have aerators on home water faucets? When mixed with water, tiny air bubbles from the aerator prevent the water from splashing too much. Because the water flow is less, often half the regular flow, aerators also help conserve water. Older faucet aerators used an average of 5 gallons of water per minute. Faucet aerators manufactured after 1994 are required to use 2.2 gallons per minute in the bathroom and 2.5 gallons per minute in the kitchen.
Water-Efficient Appliances
When shopping for a new appliance, you'll be surprised to discover how many choices are now available. Each appliance you purchase costs you the price of the appliance and the cost to operate it. To help determine which electrical appliances are water-efficient, look for the energy Star label. Energy Star appliances have been identified by the U. S. Department of Energy as highly energy-efficient products exceeding minimum Federal standards by a substantial percentage. Water-saving appliances that qualify for the Energy Star Label include dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers. They are available at most major appliance stores and outlets.
Dishwashers
Dishwashers historically use about 15-25 gallons of water per cycle, and like a clothes washer, they used a lot of hot water. New, water efficient dishwashers use just four to nine gallons per load and are equipped with features such as smart controls, which reduce water use by sensing how dirty the dishes are and adjusting the cycles accordingly.
Clothes Washers
The less water a clothes washer uses, the more efficient it will be. Clothes washers commonly named "high-efficiency" models use between 35 and 50 percent less water than conventional washers. The amount of water saved depends on the size of the washer.
All horizontal axis washers are considered high-efficiency. This compares to a conventional washer that uses abound 40 gallons. Some are equipped with a feature that automatically determines the water level based on the amount and type of clothing placed in the washer. Many (but not all) high-efficiency models also use a front-loader design similar to clothes dryers.
Much of the information you've just read was taken from the book "Plain Talk about Drinking Water" third edition, by Dr. James M. Symons.
Water conservation is something we all should practice.
Except for the air we breath,
Water is the single most important element in our lives.
It's too precious to waste.
Try to do one thing each day that will result in water savings.
Every drop counts.
Every person can make a difference.
Safe Drinking Water Hotline
For more information call EPA toll-free
800-426-4791
Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST
The information on this web page regarding water quality and bottled water was taken from "Up On Water" fact sheets published by the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Okaloosa County Water and Sewer keeps an assortment of informative pamphlets and brochures on water related issues in the lobby of our main office. We also have "Water Conservation" Kits and Shower Timers available to our customers. |
