Simple and Easy Water Conservation Tips

LAWN AND GARDEN

• Set lawnmower height to 3" so grass is higher.
• Avoid mowing your lawn on the day it is watered.
• Reduce watering days per week and minutes per day.
• Replace your turf with drought-tolerant and native plants.
• Use mulch around trees and plants to reduce moisture evaporation from the soil.
• Get rid of weeds.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk. An easy way to save hundreds of gallons of water.

SPRINKLERS AND IRRIGATION

• Check your irrigation and landscaping frequently. If you have a landscaper or gardener, walk the property with them to check for leaks.
• Make sure your sprinklers are watering the lawn and garden, not the driveway and sidewalks.
• Replace broken, cracked, or sunken heads and clogged nozzles.
• Install a drip irrigation system in your landscaping to reduce runoff and evaporation.
• Water lawns and plants during the cool part of the day, between 6 pm and 9 am, to reduce evaporation.
• Install irrigation controllers to operate automatic irrigation.
• Know where your valves are for your irrigation system.

IN THE HOUSE

• Check your faucets and toilets for leaks frequently.
• Don’t let the water run when brushing your teeth, shaving, washing your face, or cleaning produce. Change this simple habit and you can save more than 100 gallons a week!
• When washing dishes, fill one basin with warm water and the other with rinse water.
• Take 5-minute showers. Each minute you cut saves 2.5-5 gallons.
• Replace older showerheads with high-efficiency showerheads which can save hundreds of gallons each month.
• Operate washers with full loads, even if machines have varied settings.
• Install aerators on bathroom and kitchen sinks. Saves 1.2 gallons per person per day.
• Replace your old toilets with high-efficiency toilet models that flush at 1.3 gallons or less. Consider dual-flush toilets that have two options: a half-flush for liquid waste and a full-flush for solid waste.
• Replacing your clothes washer with a high-efficiency washer can reduce water and energy use by 40%.
• Install a water- and energy-efficient dishwasher. Saves 3 to 8 gallons per load. If your dishwasher is new, cut back on rinsing. Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.

WASHING VEHICLES

• Take your vehicle to a self-serve or full-service car wash that uses recycled water instead of washing at home. Not only do car washes save water through treatment and recycling, but it also prevents car wash pollution from entering storm drains and running off into the ocean.

For more info on the drought and saving water, visit ValleyWater.org

PHWD offers the following to customers:

• Free low-flow replacement showerheads and low-flow aerators for faucets
• Free dye leak detection tabs and toilet tank banks
• 3-gallon water buckets to save running water while your shower/bath water is warming up
• Toilet flapper valves

Rebate programs available through PHWD

Residences in Santa Clara County have the opportunity to benefit from surveys and rebates offered through the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Click here to view available water conservation rebate programs.

Leak Detection

PHWD makes available resources for detecting water wasting leaks within your home. Please click here to learn more about leak detection.

Water Restrictions - Use Water Wisely

Water waste restrictions are intended to reduce negligent waste and include: runoff from your property lines, water use on hardscape surfaces using a hose without a control nozzle, and running fountains without recirculating pumps. Violations of Ordinance 2014-01 Prohibiting Wasteful Water Use are serious and will result in a notification from the District. Continuous violations will result in a fine and/or termination of water service. Customers who have received a notification will never qualify for a leak adjustment.

Report Wasteful Water Use HERE

California Code of Regulations Article 22.5 Drought Emergency Water Conservation
Sec. 864.1 Prohibited Activities in Promotion of Water Conservation

Additional Resources

Xeriscaping

The idea behind xeriscaping simply involves using as many native drought-resistant substances as possible and having them arranged in efficient and water-saving ways. To explain better, the philosophy behind xeriscaping involves using rocks and cacti instead of native flowers and grass. Learn more at Well Gardening

South Bay Green Gardens offers great tips for drought tolerant landscapes. Learn more on how to preserve our environment with landscaping HERE. 

Free Water Wise Outdoor Survey

Go to Water Wise Outdoor Survey to learn more. An irrigation professional will:

• Evaluate the efficiency of your irrigation system, noting and flagging problems
• Make recomendations for upgrades and repairs
• Provide a personal irrgiation schedule
• Send you a detailed written report
• Prepare a pre-landscape rebate survey if appropriate