The WaterSense Current: Spring 2021

April 22 is a global day of action to celebrate our planet and highlight ways we can conserve, protect, and restore our Earth’s resources. Perhaps the most precious resource we have is water: close to 8 billion people use it for drinking, farming, food production, manufacturing, energy production, and sanitary purposes. While water covers over 70 percent of the planet, less than 1 percent of that is suitable for drinking, washing, or watering our plants. It’s important to use what we have wisely and preserve and protect water for future generations.

Did you know that, on average, Americans use more than 80 gallons of water per day? And that doesn’t include the water that goes into growing our food or making the products we use every day. We can all do something to use water more wisely to ensure there is enough for everyone—especially as our population grows and changing climate increases the frequency or intensity of droughts. 

What will you do this Earth Day to save water? Consider taking the “I’m for Water” pledge and commit to being smarter about how you use this precious resource. WaterSense provides tips to try every month to use less water without sacrificing your satisfying shower or beautiful landscape. Or visit the WaterSense website for simple actions you can take to “Start Saving”  water in and around your home. Understanding your impact on water—and the planet—starts with you.

Give Your Lawn a Clean Bill of Health

Turfgrass requires proper management to stay healthy and save water. There are plenty of actions you can take to keep your lawn green and your water use down. You may need to irrigate your yard more frequently if you plant new grass or plants, but once the landscape is established you can reduce watering based on your plants’ needs. 

When mowing your lawn, raise your lawn mower blade to prevent mowing too close to the ground. Longer grass promotes deeper root growth and creates a more drought-tolerant lawn. Instead of picking up grass clippings after mowing, you can provide nourishment for the soil by leaving clippings as a natural source of fertilizer. 

When it comes to watering a healthy lawn, timing is everything. Many landscapes require one inch of water per week, but that amount can vary depending on where you live, recent weather conditions, and the plants in your yard. Test if your lawn needs water by stepping on the grass. If the grass springs back, you don’t need to water it. When your landscape does need irrigation, pick the right time of day. Water is lost to evaporation during the middle of the day when temperatures are highest, so keep watering limited to mornings or evenings. 

If you need a little extra help managing your watering schedule, install a WaterSense labeled irrigation controller that tailors watering schedules to local weather or landscape conditions. If you are planting a new landscape, don’t forget to reprogram your controller once your landscape is established. And if you have a clock-based irrigation controller, don’t forget to change it as the seasons change. Finally, as May approaches, take the time to do a Sprinkler Spruce-Up to make sure that your system is ready for the irrigation season. 

Learn more about smart watering and landscaping tips for a healthy yard year-round.  

Level-Up Your Bathroom With a May Makeover

May is National Remodeling Month—the perfect opportunity to upgrade your bathroom with fabulous new fixtures! From showerheads to toilets to faucets, WaterSense labeled fixtures come in a wide selection of styles, finishes, and price points that are sure to guarantee a win in your bathroom. It’s easy to find models that fit your dream design by using the WaterSense Product Search Tool to find the exactly what you need. 

Your Better Bathroom doesn’t have to compromise on quality for water efficiency. WaterSense labeled plumbing fixtures are independently certified to use 20 percent less water while performing as well or better than standard models. WaterSense labeled fixtures use less hot water so you save on energy too! When designing your dream bathroom with WaterSense labeled products, you’ll not only elevate the look and feel, but you’ll set yourself up for long-term water and energy savings. 

With potential savings of 10,000 gallons of water and 370 kilowatt-hours of electricity from remodeling your bathroom with WaterSense labeled products, you can pocket up to $150 in utility bill savings each year with your renovation!

Gold Coast Partner Gets a Water Efficiency Gold Star

Irvine Ranch (California) Water District earned its first WaterSense Partner of the Year Award last year after conducting a variety of creative outreach in 2019 to remind residents and businesses to save water. The District used social media to engage followers, including a Water Efficiency Blockbuster Series that featured photos of employees recreating superhero characters sharing water-saving tips. To celebrate Fix a Leak Week, the Water District held a contest where over 80 customers submitted photos of themselves fixing leaks or completed online training and quiz for a chance to win a prize.

In 2019, Irvine Ranch Water District found effective ways to incentivize both residents and businesses to save water. Its residential rebate program provided incentives for nearly 200 WaterSense labeled toilets and more than 650 WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers. Additionally, six businesses were certified through the WaterStar Business Recognition Program, which provides financial incentives for water efficiency improvements.

To read more about Irvine Ranch Water District and other the other 2020 WaterSense Award winners, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense-awards. 

Orange County Shines With a Fruitful Year

Orange County (Florida) Utilities expanded its water efficiency outreach and was honored with its first WaterSense Partner of the Year Award. With a large focus on helping the younger generation become water conservation experts, the utility reached nearly 9,500 K-12 students in 2019!

The County’s Blue Thumb Jr. Detective program, which correlates with Florida State Sunshine Education Standards, provided water conservation presentations to over 1,400 students. Through Orange County’s Tinker program, a digital, science-based curriculum, over 2,700 students received conservation kits and instructions on how to save water at home. Orange County staff participated in a “Touring the Water Facts” event at the Orlando Science Center; more than 200 middle school students and teachers participated and answered WaterSense and water conservation trivia. 

To encourage water conservation education for all ages, Orange County Utilities has a Water Wise Neighborhood program. The program distributed nearly 2,000 WaterSense labeled showerheads and over 100 WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers to help customers become more water-efficient at home. 

Learn more about Orange County Utilities and other WaterSense Award  winners, by visiting www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense-awards. 

Water Droplets

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The WaterSense Current Back Issues

• The WaterSense Current: Issue LVI, Winter 2021
• The WaterSense Current: Issue LV, Fall 2020
• The WaterSense Current: Issue LIV, Summer 2020
• The WaterSense Current: Issue LIII, Winter 2020