Water Conservation - City of Richland

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Water is a precious, natural resource and should never be wasted. An average family of four uses 255 gallons of water indoors per day. Outdoor water use can double or triple this amount. We can’t afford to waste the precious natural resource, we call water. Our livelihood depends on it.

Bathroom

Bathroom use accounts for seventy-three percent of all water used in the home. Small changes can equal big savings.

Check toilets for leaks. Drop food coloring or a leak-detection tablet in the toilet tank. If color appears in the bowl, there is a leak that requires immediate attention.
Flush only when necessary. Every time you flush you use about six gallons of water. Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket.
Reduce the water level per flush by installing a water displacement device in the toilet tank. A plastic bottle, weighted with water or sand, works well. Never use a brick.
Take shorter showers. Turn off the water flow when lathering up, and turn it back on to rinse.
Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors, which are available at local hardware stores and other retail outlets.
Take baths. Only the shortest shower saves more water than a partially filled tub. Also, consider bathing small children together.
Turn off the water after wetting your toothbrush. Use a glass of water to rinse. Avoid letting the faucet run.
Rinse your razor in a sink of water. Letting the water run uses about three gallons per minute.
Check faucets and pipes for leaks. A small drip from a worn washer can waste 20 or more gallons a day. Larger leaks waste even more.

Kitchen & Laundry

Turn the dishwasher on only when full.
Use the short-cycle for easy-to-clean loads.
Do not use the rinse-hold cycle on your machine, it uses a lot more water.
Newer dishwashers are at least 25% more efficient than models sold before 1994. The new models save between 7 and 10 gallons of water, each load. If you’ve been pondering a new dishwasher, now is the time to get one.
Use both sides of the sink when washing dishes by hand; one to wash, one to rinse. Avoid washing dishes under running water.
Wash your dishes only once a day.
Buy and install a faucet aerator.
Keep a bottle or pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator. Now there is no need to run the tap to get a glass of cool water.
Avoid using in-sink garbage disposals. These devices use about 11.5 gallons of water each day. Encourage resource saving composting of organic wastes instead.
Clean vegetables in a pan of water not under a running faucet. The water collected can be used for your household plants.
Carefully measure water used for cooking or baking to avoid having to dump unneeded water. Left over water can be used to water your plants.
Pre-rinse clothes only when absolutely necessary.
Use the proper water level or load size selection on the washing machine.

Lawn & Garden

The amount of water used outdoors can vary greatly. Water consumption can be as much as 500 to 1,000 gallons per day during the summer months. Be water wise.

Water only when needed. Frequency depends on the type of plants and soil conditions.
Water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the water. Water run off is a huge waste.
Water slowly, deeply and less often. Longer watering cycles allow roots to lengthen and strengthen, allowing hardiness in drought conditions.
Longer watering times mean fewer days of watering. Water every 2-3 days, if possible.
Install a trickle or drip irrigation system for a slow, steady supply of water to the plant roots. This method can save up to 60% over other watering techniques.
If you can not afford to install a drip or bubble system for your landscaping needs, use a soaker or other porous walled hose.
If possible, water the lawn in the evening, night, or early morning when evaporation is less likely to occur. Avoid watering during the heat of the day.
Turn off the sprinklers during windy or rainy weather.
Is rainy weather expected? Turn off automatic sprinklers when rain is in the forecast and avoid watering the following day, if the rainfall was sufficient.
Replace leaky or broken sprinklers and sprinkler heads promptly.
Regularly watch the spray pattern on set sprinkler systems. Often they get misaligned. Over spray on streets, driveways, fences, etc., is wasteful.
Consider water requirements when purchasing new plants.
Use native plants when landscaping your lawn. Generally, native plants require less care and water than other ornamental varieties.
Place a layer of organic mulch around plants and trees to avoid excessive evaporation. This includes bark, grass clippings or compost. Mulch helps to hold moisture into the soil.

Miscellaneous ways to also help…

Use a broom, not a hose, when cleaning driveways and walkways.
Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle to wash the car.
Locate the master water supply valve and label it. The master supply valve can be easily turned off in case of a major leak or broken pipe.
Clean gutters and downspouts manually instead of hosing them down.
Leftover glasses of water around the house? Don’t dump down the drain, water your plants or use it to add water to your freshwater fish tank.
Cleaning the freshwater fish tank? Use that fishy water to fertilize your plants and garden.
Place rain buckets or barrels under rain gutter down spouts. Collect and use to water outdoor plants.
Immediately report sprinkler breaks or problems to the owner or caretaker of the property.

Lawn and Garden Information

Lawn Care - The amount of water your yard needs depends on lawn size and how often you irrigate. Outdoor water consumption can be as much as 1,000 to 3,000 gallons for an average lawn during a peak summer day. Water is a precious and limited resource. Let's use it wisely.

THE MOISTURE NEEDS OF PLANTS

Gardening professionals generally agree that most landscaping receives more water than necessary. Your goal, if experiencing a severe water shortage, should be to water only enough to keep grasses and plants alive. By gradually extending the length of time between waterings, plants have a tendency to require less water and become more drought resistant.

WATERING: WHEN AND HOW MUCH

Plant type and soil conditions play a large role in determining when and how much to water. Turf areas require more water than trees, shrubs, and groundcover. Different soil types have different water retention capabilities. Know your soil type. Ask your local nursery or county extension office to recommend low water-using plants and ways to increase your soil's water holding capacity. Here in the Tri-Cities, our soil is more than likely, sandy. Sandy soil is porous, and doesn’t hold water well. Organic mulch, such as grass, bark or compost is an excellent top cover for plants and gardens. This layer provides needed nutrients, holds in moisture and allows less evaporation to escape. Before planting, be sure to add organic material (manure, compost, or soil amendments) and till in.

Your lawn needs water when it starts turning a dull gray/green and loses resiliency.

Shrubs droop as they approach an absolute need for water

Water Efficient Irrigation & Landscape Techniques

The object of efficient irrigation is to water only the soil surrounding the root area of the plant, not directly on the root, but the root zone!

Consider low water using turf varieties, like ornamental grasses. Consult your county extension office or local nursery to identify low water using turf varieties for your area.
Remove thatch (dead grass) build-up in turf areas as soon as possible. Thatch restricts penetration of water, air, and nutrients.
Aerate compacted soil to increase water penetration. Aerating should be done only during the spring months or after fall rains resume.
Proper fertilizer application is important. Consult a nursery or landscape professional for a well-balanced fertilization program.
Eliminate any over-spray on paved areas or buildings. Investigate the source of any unusual runoff, puddling or over-saturated areas.
If you have an automated sprinkler system, make sure the controller is properly set to achieve minimum watering levels.
When landscaping, a properly designed and installed irrigation system should be included as a water conservation tool. Automated irrigation systems offer the ultimate in both control and distribution of water over other watering systems.

LAWN WATERING GUIDE

Here's a simple way to determine your lawn watering needs:

Place five or more flat bottom cans or coffee mugs randomly around your lawn.
Turn on your sprinkler(s) for 15 minutes.
Measure the depth of the water in each can with a ruler to determine the average water depth in the cans.
Refer to the following chart and read the number of minutes you should water, every third day. Record the times for future reference.

Watering Chart

(If your soil is sandy, water every second day)

AVERAGE DEPTH IN TEST CANS

1/8"

1/4"

3/8"

1/2"

5/8"

3/4"

1"

1-1/8"

MINUTES TO WATER EVERY THIRD DAY IN SPRING

30

15

10

7-1/2

6

5

4

3-1/3

MINUTES TO WATER EVERY SECOND DAY IN SUMMER

60

30

20

15

12

10

8

6-2/3

MINUTES TO WATER EVERY THIRD DAY IN FALL

24

12

8

6

4-3/4

4

3-1/3

2-1/2

REMINDERS: Use this chart as a guide only, and alter your water practices according to climatic conditions. Decrease watering times and frequencies during cool and/or humid weather. Skip at least one scheduled watering after any substantial rainfall.

This information was prepared by the City of Richland, Environmental Education Office and the City of Kennewick, in cooperation with the Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association and the Drinking Water Section of the Office of Environmental Programs (WA.DOH/DOE).