May 24, 2001
Councilmember Phillips Calls for Water Conservation Awareness
Voluntary Conservation Urged During Memorial Day Weekend

Metropolitan King County Councilmember Larry Phillips is urging citizens to keep conservation in mind this Memorial Day weekend and make an extra effort to conserve water.

“We’re in a situation where literally, every drop counts. Voluntary conservation efforts make a difference; shorter showers, reduced grass watering, and less frequent car washing can mean the difference between being asked to conserve or facing mandatory water restrictions,” said Phillips.

The latest seasonal assessment from the weather experts at NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) is that in the Northwest, there is little chance for significant drought relief in coming months. Further, officials predict the drought will persist at least through August and water supplies will continue to drop, with no relief from long-term moisture deficits.

“There are numerous concerns during an extended period of reduced water supply including economic, social and environmental impacts. The most serious environmental impacts include the reduction and degradation of fish and wildlife habitat and increased fire danger,” said Phillips. “Voluntary conservation efforts now will pay off in environmental dividends in the future.”

Attached is a list of water conservation tips good all year round.

Home Water Conservation Tips

• The single most effective conservation step inside the home is the installation of low-flow showerheads. They use 30 to 70 percent less water while still providing invigorating showers.

• Toilet water use can be cut by up to 70 percent by installing low-flow or air assisted commodes. If you can't replace your toilet, place a half-gallon plastic jug of water or a toilet dam in your tank. This can cut toilet water use by 20 percent. (Don't use bricks - they fall apart.)

• Install low-flow faucet aerators on the bathroom and kitchen sinks. These use about half as much water without compromising performance.

• Sing shorter songs in the shower. Your shower shouldn't last longer than five minutes. Sing all you want when you take a bath - just be sure to fill the tub halfway. Turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth or shaving.

• When washing your car, use a cut-off nozzle instead of running the hose continuously.

• About 8 percent of home water use takes place in the kitchen. Instead of running water, rinse dishes in a basin and soak pots and pans before scrubbing. Compost your fruit and vegetable scraps to avoid running the garbage disposal. Be sure your dishwasher is full before you run it. Next time you buy a dishwasher, consider the water-saving models which can cut water use by 25 percent.

• Laundry accounts for about 14 percent of home water usage. Adjust the water level on your washing machine to match the size of your load. If you can't set the level on your machine, be sure to wash only full loads. Consider buying a water-saving model, which reduces water use by up to 30 percent.

• Avoid having to run the water until it's hot. Insulate your water heater and hot water pipes.

• Repair all plumbing leaks immediately. A dripping faucet can waste up to 2 gallons of water per hour. Check your toilet by dropping a small amount of food coloring into the tank. If colored water appears in the bowl after 10 minutes, you've got a leak that needs repairing.

• Voluntarily cut back on lawn watering to no more than once every five days with no more than an inch of water at a time. To avoid evaporation, water before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m. If it rains more than an inch, wait five days to water.

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