Tips for Home Water Conservation
& Protecting our Water Quality

On June 4, 2008 Governor Schwarzenegger issued a proclamation declaring a drought in California in order to trigger water-efficiency and water conservation programs. Drought is a normal, temporary and recurrent feature of climate and a hazard of nature. It occurs in virtually all climatic zones, but its characteristics vary significantly from one region to another. Drought differs from aridity, which is restricted to low rainfall regions and is a permanent feature of climate.

Here is information about the current drought in California:

• First statewide drought since 1991
• Rainfall the past two years has been well below normal
• Some communities received only 20% of their expected rainfall in 2007
• The Sierra snowpack – which supplies much of the State’s water – is 67% of normal; runoff into California rivers is expected to be 55% of normal

Conservation is a key way to ride out a drought period. Simple, but effective ways to conserve water (and prevent pollution from being swept, blown or washed into our storm drain systems) are noted belowe. Also check out the following web pages for more information about water conservation:

• Cut Back on Watering your Lawn - but Don't Stop Altogether!
  Tips for watering your lawn in the heat of summer [more]
• Water-Saving Tips for Your  Home / Business
  (A message of the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District) 
• www.bewaterwise.com - See rebates for water-conserving products
• www.H2ouse.org  - Take a home water-saver tour;
  find out how much water you use with the water budget calculator.
• www.888cleanla.org - L.A. County's site for recycling information

Indoors: - Run the dishwasher only when full ............... - Turn off water when rinsing dishes...............    Also turn off faucet run when cleaning    vegetables--rinse them in a sink of    clean water. - Shorten showers..............................................    Install a water-saving shower head. As a    residential customer, you can get one for    free at the Utilities Customer Service    Center. Or check your hardware or    plumbing supply store for an inexpensive    shower head that's easy to install and    gives you a cleansing and refreshing    shower. - Fill the bathtub half full when bathing.......... - Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket......... - Wash only full loads of clothes..................... - Fix leaky toilets*.................................................   Put a few drops of food coloring in your toilet   tank. If the coloring begins to appear in the   toilet bowl without flushing, you have a   wasteful leak that should be repaired at once.   Even a small leak can waste thousands of   gallons per month. - Fix leaky faucets/pipes....................................... - Install aerators with flow restrictors   on kitchen/bathroom faucets............................ - Turn off the water while brushing your teeth...  - Turn off the water while you shave...................    Just fill the sink with a little water and rinse    your razor - Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator,    so you won't have to run the tap to cool it.     Outdoors: - Water only before 6 a.m. and after 8 p.m....    Change outdoors watering schedule    seasonally. Water deeply and less frequently. - Reduce irrigation cycle by 1-3 minutes   or eliminate one irrigation cycle per week... - Adjust sprinklers to prevent overspray   and runoff........................................................ - Repair leaks and broken sprinkler heads... - Add 2” to 3” of mulch around trees and    plants to reduce evaporation......................... - Install water-efficient drip irrigation system    for trees, shrubs, and flowers to get water   to the plant’s roots more efficiently............. - Upgrade to a “smart irrigation controller”    that automatically adjusts watering times    for hotter weather, and shuts down the    system when it rains................................... - Replace lawn with native and   California-friendly plants...........................   Click here for information on xeriscape   gardening. - Use a broom instead of a hose to clean    driveways and sidewalks.......................... - Use a self-closing nozzle to wash your car    (don’t just let the water run).....................    As an Alhambra resident you can obtain    a free nozzle at the Utilities Department    Customer Service Center. - Repair any leaks around pool and    spa pumps................................................ - Install covers on pools and   spas to reduce evaporation...................

Estimated Savings: 2-4.5 gallons per load 2.5 gallons per minute       2.5 gallons per minute                 15-25 gallons per bath 1.6 gallons per flush 15-50 gallons per load 30-50 gallons per day per toilet             15-20 gallons per day per leak   4.7 gallons per day 3 gallons each time you brush    3 gallons each time you shave                 20-25 gallons per day       15-25 gallons for each minute or up to 250 gallons per cycle 15-25 gallons per day 20 gallons per day per leak    20-30 gallons per day per 1,000 sq. ft.     20-25 gallons per day       40 gallons per day 33-60 gallons per day per 1,000 sq. ft. depending on climate       8-18 gallons per minute   8-18 gallons per minute         20 gallons per day per leak   30 gallons per day

* Put a plastic container or displacement bag in your toilet tank. Put an inch or two of sand or pebbles in the bottom of a quart or larger container and fill the rest of the container with water. Put the cap on and place the bottle in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanism. The container will save on each flush without impairing the efficiency of the toilet. Also consider buying an ultra low-flush toilet which uses only 1.6 instead of 3.5 to 5 gallons per flush.

WAYS TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY:

Home Repair Projects:

• Use water-based paints whenever possible. Look for products labeled "latex" or "cleans with water."
• Do not clean brushes or rinse containers in the gutter. For water-based paint, rinse them in the sink. For oil-based paint, clean them with thinner, which can be filtered and reused. Take leftover paint to a household hazardous waste collection site to be recycled.
• Paint-stripping residue, chips and dust from marine paints and paints containing lead or tributyl tin are hazardous wastes. Sweep them up and take them in a sealed container to a household hazardous waste collection site.
• Rinse off cement mixers and cement laden tools in a contained washout area that cannot flow to your lot drain. Allow cement waste to dry, and then discard with your household trash.
• Schedule grading and excavation projects for dry weather. Order only the amount of material needed to complete the project. Keep all construction debris away from the street, gutter and storm drains.
• Prevent erosion and sediment runoff by covering excavated material and piles of asphalt, sand and similar materials with a plastic tarp.
• Never dispose of cement washout or concrete dust into driveways, streets, gutters or storm drains.

Vehicle Maintenance:

• Check your vehicle frequently for leaks. Use kitty litter or other absorbent materials to clean spills and dispose of waste properly.
• Take used motor oil and filters to a Certified Oil Recycling Center;
  Click here for locations.
• Dispose of antifreeze at a hazardous materials collection center or roundup;
  Click here for more information.
• Conserve water when washing your car and use biodegradable soap. Consider using a self-serve or automated car wash facility that recycles water.

Yard Maintenance:

• Minimize the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and don't apply if it is windy or about to rain.
• Always pick up pet waste and dispose of it in the trash.

Pool Maintenance:

• All pool water discharged to the curb/gutter must meet the following criteria: the residual chlorine must not exceed 0.1 mg/L (parts per million), pH is between 6.5 and 8.5, water does not have unusual coloration, no filter media can be discharged, and no acid cleaning wastes can be discharged.