Water : Conserve Water Throughout the Summer
Conserve Water Throughout the Summer
Much of the region was under drought conditions during parts of the last two summers. In addition to the relatively common odd/even restrictions used to shave peaks, a couple of communities in the Twin Cities enforced outdoor watering bans to meet demands. Although it is still spring and too soon to tell if this year will have the same hot dry weather as the last 2 years, it is still a good idea to implement water conservation practices.
The Metropolitan Council has a water conservation toolbox that includes tips, resources, and statistics to assist communities with water conservation and provide tips for residents. In an average year, the Twin Cities metropolitan area uses about twenty percent of its treated drinking water for outdoor purposes – such as lawn and garden watering and car washing. In dry years that it can climb to over 30%. However, this figure could be reduced significantly if water conservation were practiced throughout the year and not just during dry periods.
Here are some tips to reduce outdoor water use:
- Convert lawns to native landscapes;
- Water early in the morning;
- Sweep with a broom instead of hose;
- Collect rain water in a rain barrel;
- Cut grass to no shorter than 2 inches to reduce evaporation and promote deep root growth;
- Use shut-off nozzles on hoses when washing cars; and
- Calculate their water footprint at H2O Conserve
Additional ideas and resources can be found on the Metropolitan Council’s Web site.