Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 10/05/2009

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/' Attachment E Common outdoor water-saving tools... - Garden Hose Nozzles -Direct water onto plants and shrubs that need more water. When you wash your car, use a hose nozzle to turn off the water and save more than 100 gallons, per washing. - Brooms - A broom is the right tool to clean your driveway or sidewalk between rain showers. Just sweep the dirt and spread it over your lawn or put it in the garbage. Doing this will keep the dirt from entering the storm sewer catch basins. _ Sprinkler Timers - A sprinkler timer can be set to shut off your sprinkler after a set amount of time. _ Screwdriver:- Use a long screwdriver as a soil probe to test soil moisture. If you can push it easily into your lawn for several inches, don't water. Proper lawn watering can save thousands of gallons of water annually. And some not-so-common outdoor water-saving tools... -Rain Gauge - Let Mother Nature do the watering for you. If you receive an inch or more of rain within a week, you can skip your next watering. _ Shut-Off Device - Nothing wastes water like sprinklers in the rain. Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers to eliminate unnecessary watering. _ Soil Aerator - This inexpensive tool will punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface. _ Rain Barrels - Put the water from your downspout to good use by catching it in a mosquito-proof rain barrel. Plants love rainwater because it doesn't contain chlorine and is warmer than tap water. _ Gutter Diverters - Used in conjunction with a rain barrel, gutter diverters have a switch that diverts the water to the landscape or rain barrel(s). _ Rain Chains - Rain chains are designed to replace a downspout, and channel the water into a specific location, such as a basin or a rain barrel. They're pleasing to look at and they slow water down, reducing splashing and erosion. Repairing leaks outside (and inside, while you're at it)... _ . Hose Bibs - These are the faucets on the outside of your home where you connect your garden hoses. Check outdoor faucets, pipes, and hoses for leaks. _ Hose Washers- Simply replacing a hose washer can often fix your leaking garden hose connection. _ Toilet Flappers -Flappers deteriorate over time should be checked every year to make sure they are fitting tightly over the flush tube. Put a few di'ops of food coloring in your toilet tank, if it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak. Leak testing kits are also available from the city. This is an easy fix, and can save more than 600 gallons a month. _ Faucets - Fixing a leaky faucet can save 140 gallons a week.