Category Archives: Water

According to the EPA website, May is  American Wetlands Month, a time “to celebrate the vital importance of wetlands to the Nation’s ecological, economic, and social health”. What are wetlands? As defined on the EPA website: “Wetlands are the link between the land and the water. They are transition zones where the flow of water, the cycling of nutrients, and the energy of the sun meet to produce a unique ecosystem characterized by hydrology, soils, and vegetation—making these areas very important features of a watershed.” Benefits of wetlands:   Animal habitat – Wetlands provide habitat for plants and animals in the … Continue reading →

It is estimated that more than half of residential water use occurs outdoors. So I was really excited when I read that The Save Our Water program launched a new “Sprinklers 101″ web-based resource today to provide information and online tools about water-efficient residential irrigation. Timed to coincide with May’s Water Awareness Month, this new site offers online, printed and video resources on water-efficient irrigation to homeowners and landscape professionals. Sprinklers 101 provides information on installing and converting an existing system to drip irrigation, information on smart controllers and links to sprinkler controller manuals (for homeowners who may not know how … Continue reading →

Our friends at EPA WaterSense wanted us to remind everyone that spring is the perfect time to get  irrigation systems in shape for the season. If you have an irrigation system, chances are it has been idle for the past several months. Taking a few minutes to check your system for common problems, such as leaks or malfunctioning sprinkler heads can save as much as  25,000 gallons of water and more than $90 over a six–month irrigation season. Before you ramp up your watering this spring, EPA WaterSense reminds you to spruce up your irrigation system by remembering four simple steps—inspect, connect, … Continue reading →

How many of us dream of lounging in a full tub of warm, sudsy water to help unwind? But if you are like me, the solitude of the warm bath is often much more relaxing than the sudsy soak itself. And a full bathtub wastes about 70 gallons of water per soak! Many people rush through their days, tied to their cell phones and other electronic equipment. At home, they are in constant contact with spouses, kids, computers and tvs, all vying for their attention. The closed door of a bathroom is often the only escape. The next time you are … Continue reading →

 In some parts of the country, the great weather has the nearby beaches calling us to take our first dip of the season. Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency has a website that allows us to check the water quality of our favorite beaches? According to the EPA,  Americans take almost two billion trips to the beach every year, but people who swim at the beach sometimes get sick because the water is polluted. To check out the water quality at the beaches near you, visit the Where You Live website and scroll down until you find your … Continue reading →

Did you know that there are mandatory lawn watering restrictions that specify the days when you may water your landscape? These days depend on whether you have an odd or even numbered address, and the time of year. During Daylight Savings Time: homes with odd numbered addresses or no addresses can water on Wednesday and Saturday. Homes with even numbered addresses can water on Thursday and Sunday. During Eastern Standard Time: homes with odd numbered addresses or no addresses can only water on Saturdays. Homes with even numbered addresses can only water on Sundays. In addition to the days of … Continue reading →