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Conservation Tips
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Indoor
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Repair all leaking plumbing fixtures; even a minor drip can waste 20 or more gallons of water per day. |
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Check that the water level in the toilet tank is not above the overflow tube; make the necessary adjustment to 1½ inch below to avoid overfill. |
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Check the internal parts of your toilets for wear and corrosion, and replace if necessary. Also, make sure the flappers have proper seating; flappers that do not seat properly waste a lot of water. |
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Fill your dishwasher and washing machine with full loads and, when looking for new appliances, purchase water-efficient models. |
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Install low flow showerheads and faucet aerators. |
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Take showers instead of baths since full baths can take up to twice the amount of water used by showering. |
Outdoor
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While washing your car, make sure there is an automatic shut off valve attached to the hose to prevent water from running into the street and gutter. |
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When planting, group plants together according to their water and sun needs. Use mulch to minimize evaporation and to reduce weed growth. |
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Use drip systems for trees, shrubs and flowerbeds. Drip systems minimize water loss from evaporation and runoff. |
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When watering on a slope, create basins around plants. Use shorter watering times to avoid runoff. |
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Water in the early morning or evening hours to avoid heat and evaporation of the day. |
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Water lawns no more than three times a week for about 10-15 minutes on each station. This promotes deeper roots. You may want to divide your watering time into two sessions, to allow the water to soak into the ground. If grass is spongy or mushrooms appear, you are probably watering too much. |
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Check your irrigation system monthly for broken sprinkler heads, malfunctions and distribution uniformity. |
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Use sprinkler systems according to the season, summer adjust for minimal use and, in the winter, turn off system completely. |
Conservation Information
Water conservation information for your convenience:
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The Rules of Thumb - garden guide brochure distributed by Santa Clara Valley Water District. |
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Virtual Home Tour - view water saving tips room-by-room by taking the Virtual Home Tour made available by the California Urban Water Conservation Council. |
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Top Five Actions - the California Urban Water Conservation Coucil recommendations for actions you can take for saving water immediately. |
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