Greening Austin Daily

Green Tip: Turn the Water Off While Brushing Your Teeth

14th March, 2012 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Here’s a quick tip if you’re not already doing so: turn your water faucet off while brushing your teeth.  I’ve done some Google-ing and found that the average faucet in a bathroom uses 2 – 2.5 gallons of water a minute.  Sources online vary and are generally too disgusting to think about when averaging how much time the average American spends brushing their teeth (under 30 seconds a day seems to be the consensus) but if you are brushing the dentist-recommended 3-4 minutes two times a day while your faucet is running, you could be wasting up to 9 gallons of water a day.  That’s a lot of water! So the lesson is to just turn off your faucet while you brush, and you should also probably be brushing for longer each day.

Gabi Lungu / OkapiStudio

How to Install a Water-Saving Shower Head (Cutting Water Use Up to 30%)

27th February, 2012 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

About a week ago I decided to try and change the shower head in our guest bathroom to a more water-saving head.  Turns out, it’s super easy to do and quickly cuts down on water waste! All I did to prepare was watch this short video I found on Youtube and the whole process probably took 10 minutes or less.  If I had known how easy it was ahead of time I wouldn’t have waited so long to do it.

Just unscrew the old shower head, using some pliers and old towels if necessary, then remove any old pieces of teflon tape, using your fingers or an old toothbrush:  The wind some new Teflon tape onto the threaded pipe (wrapping clockwise):

Then screw on the new shower head. Easy!

A low-flow shower head can cut the amount of water you use in your shower by 30%!  If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, you may want to replace the showerhead with a water-efficient model.

Here are 100 other water-saving tips.

Drought in Central Texas Now Considered Moderate Rather than Exceptional

24th February, 2012 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Just wanted to quickly share this article from the Statesman.  It serves as a reminder that we are still in a drought and some parts of Texas still have the most severe ranking of drought, but at least in Central Texas, the drought has eased up slightly:

For the first time in nearly a year, parts of Central Texas are now considered to be in “moderate drought,” improved from the highest level of “exceptional drought” of just a few months ago.

The easing of drought conditions comes after several soaking rains. But a wide swath of the Hill Country has seen less rain and is still among the state’s most parched areas….

Still, area lakes, which provide most of Central Texas with drinking water, remain far below normal levels.

The latest drought monitor report, released Thursday by the National Drought Mitigation Center and drawn from data recorded on Tuesday morning, shows that about 14 percent of the state — and no areas in Central Texas — remains in exceptional drought.

Almost 88 percent of the state was in exceptional drought as recently as early October….

Central Texas needs about 10 to 13 inches of rain in the next three months and at least 19 inches of rain in the next six months to be out of drought…”

Drought Continues Despite Rain

25th January, 2012 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

The Statesman had this article today that states that last night’s rain had little effect on the drought in Texas:

Last night’s storms brought much-needed rain to Central Texas but did little to ease an ongoing drought or to raise lake levels.

The rains overnight helped replenish streams and helped ease fire concerns, but a long-term period of showers and storms will be needed to break the drought.

“If we go through another three weeks of no rain, it’ll all go away,” said Pat McDonald, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Central Texas needs as much as 13 inches of rain to reach normal rainfall levels, McDonald said.

The article also noted:

Lake Buchanan is currently about 23 feet below normal January levels and about 30 feet below its full level …[we need] 10 to 20 inches of rain … to return the lakes to normal levels.

Conflicting Studies on Contamination of Groundwater by Fracking

8th December, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

You may have heard recently about fracking, a method of extracting natural gas from shale using large amounts of water mixed with sand and chimicals, which is being increasingly used in the U.S, specifically in Texas.  There’s been some controversy about it because of claims that the process of extracting the gas can contaminate groundwater, which people end up drinking.  Below are two stories, each about a different report (one by the Texas’ Energy Institute, and one by the EPA), which came to different conclusions about the contamination possibilities.

From the Statesman:

Preliminary findings from the [Texas] Energy Institute’s study released Wednesday suggest there is no link between the extraction operations and groundwater contamination, said the study’s leader, Charles “Chip” Groat, a UT geology professor.

He noted that the dangers associated with shale gas drilling — which is accomplished by hydraulic fracturing, a process commonly known as fracking — are largely the same as other oil-drilling operations.

“Hydraulic fracturing doesn’t seem to be of concern to groundwater,” Groat said. “If there has been water contaminated related to shale gas development let’s not look at fracturing, let’s look at surface processes.”

As in other types of drilling operations, poor casing or shoddy cement jobs have often been to blame for regulatory violations or contamination in shale gas drilling, Groat said…

Surface spills of the hazardous chemicals across the country have killed livestock and contaminated waterways, the Houston Chronicle has reported.

Texas is home to one of the nation’s largest shale gas deposits, the Barnett Shale. The Fort Worth area is a hotbed for fracking that shale, and there have been many questions surrounding the process.

Democratic state Rep. Lon Burnam of Fort Worth told The Associated Press in September that in the past five years, air pollution in North Texas has steadily increased, which he said is related to the drilling in the Barnett Shale.

Groat downplayed the problems associated with fracking.

“The violations that we’ve seen are of no, minor or small impact,” Groat said. “The impact on groundwater, the impact on the surface is not of anything substantial, certainly not compared to coal mines or metal mines.”

However, spills have come under closer scrutiny as shale gas drilling occurs in urban and suburban areas, Groat said.

“Fort Worth is the poster child for this,” Groat said. “They are drilling under subdivisions, and those people are asking questions.”

Shale deposits are spread out over broad areas, and drilling operations could easily move out of densely populated areas and stay in the fracking game, Groat said.

Groat briefed government officials, regulators, energy company executives, community group representatives and reporters in Fort Worth about the Energy Institute’s preliminary findings.

Researchers expect to present their final report early next year, looking not only at the environmental effects of fracking but also at policy and regulatory issues as well as media coverage of the controversial technique of capturing natural gas.

The yearlong $330,000 study was paid for entirely by the University of Texas, Groat said.

The study’s early stages have looked at regulatory violations and frameworks in states with major shale drilling operations, including Texas, Louisiana, New York and Pennsylvania, Groat said.

And from NPR

In a draft report (pdf) released today, the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed what many residents of Pavilion, Wyoming have been complaining about for some time now: Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is responsible for polluting the area’s drinking water.

Fracking is a controversial method used to make it easier to extract natural gas, petroleum and other substances. As the AP explains, this is the first time the EPA has linked the practice to the contamination of drinking water. The gas industry has denied any responsibility.

The wire service adds:

“The EPA’s found that compounds likely associated with fracking chemicals had been detected in the groundwater beneath a Wyoming community where residents say their well water reeks of chemicals.

Health officials advised them not to drink their water after the EPA found hydrocarbons in their wells.

The EPA announcement has major implications for the vast increase in gas drilling in the U.S. in recent years. Fracking has played a large role in opening up many reserves.

The industry has long contended that fracking is safe, but environmentalists and some residents who live near drilling sites say it has poisoned groundwater.”

Before issuing this report, the EPA had advised residents not to drink their water, because, as MSNBC says, the EPA “said it had found benzene and other hydrocarbons in wells it tested.”

MSNBC adds that Pavillion residents welcomed the report.

Northwest Austin to Get Green Car Wash; Able to Recycle 100% of Its’ Water Use

2nd December, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Community Impact has an article I saw today that says about  a new car wash going in in Northwest Austin:

Once it opens in April 2012, the new Palms Car Wash will have the ability to recycle 100 percent of the water it uses.

Austin’s second full-service Palms Car Wash is under construction at 13695 US 183, next door to the former Hooters of Austin, which is being transformed into Cover 2 restaurant and bar. The car wash will feature an exterior drive-thru express wash and interior and detail services. Customers may also use 12 vacuum stations free of charge.

“We want to be as eco-friendly we can,” said David Beseda, co-owner of Palms Car Wash with Russel Moore. “We use non-toxic, biodegradable cleaners. It is a complicated, expensive process [to recycle water].”Beseda and Moore own the Palms Car Wash at 6811 Brodie Lane. Alone, Moore owns several car wash locations in Austin, but this is the second location the pair will have opened.

Experts Expect Texas Drought to Continue into Spring

30th November, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

The Tribune had this sobering article today which states that “The drought that has plagued Texas is virtually certain to continue at least until early summer, climate experts said on Tuesday at a conference in Fort Worth. But what happens after that is anyone’s guess. The main cause of the drought, the most intense in recorded Texas history, is back-to-back episodes of La Niña, a Pacific Ocean phenomenon that almost always brings dry conditions to the state. The bad news is that, based on the historical record, there is a 40 percent chance of La Niña returning for a third consecutive year, according to Klaus Wolter, a research associate with the Earth Research Laboratory at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).”

Tribune Says Texas Congressman a Top Water User During Drought

3rd November, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

The Texas Tribune had this article today that states that U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul’ property from October 2010 through September 2011 was the sixth-largest water user among all Austin residential customers and that “The McCauls’ water consumption, 1.4 million gallons over those 12 months, comes to about 15 times the consumption of the average Austin home over that time.” This is not the first time he has made the list of top 10 water users in Austin, which in the past he has blamed on undetected leaks.  Wouldn’t it bother you though if your water bill was unusually high for several years? Hmm… Check out the whole article, and the comments are pretty funny too.

Drought Affecting Local Farming in Serious Ways

20th October, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

The Statesman today has an article about how the drought has been affecting local farmers and will continue to affect those consumers who try to support locally grown food.  For example, the article says that “The Del Valle farm is selling Wheatsville about nine dozen eggs per week, compared with the normal 75 to 100 dozen” and that “Boggy Creek Farms has provided produce to Whole Foods since 1991, but this year they couldn’t grow enough vegetables to do so” as they had to commit what they were able to grow this year to their farm stand.

And with a shortage of local food, the concern is that prices for consumers will go up and drive some consumers away. Says Peg McCoy, owner of Farm to Market Grocery on South Congress, “When calories are so cheap, people aren’t willing or able to spend more for local food.”

Hopefully Austin has enough of a base dedicated to locally grown food that these farmers will still be able to make something off what they are able to grow in these conditions.

Electricity Production Planning in Texas During Drought

10th October, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

KUT had this article, which is fairly short and informative about how Texas may have to reconsider its electricity production in that face of increasing water shortage.  We get a lot of our power from goal, natural gas, and nuclear plants, which can require a lot of water to produce energy and stay cool.

Slightly cooler fall temperatures are putting less strain on power plants to generate energy, but the persistent drought isn’t. Most of Texas’ energy comes from plants that are coal, natural gas, or nuclear. All three types depend on large amounts of water to generate electricity and cool down. If weather experts are correct in predicting a prolonged drought, power plants will need to figure out how to operate with less water.

The water that power plants use is often drawn from rivers that have been drying up since the beginning of the drought last fall. Unless Texas gets at least half of its normal rainfall between now and spring, which isn’t in the forecast, Kent Saathoff said the situation could get worse.

There’s some hope though in new technology:

Michael Webber, an energy policy expert at the University of Texas at Austin, recently published a report on the potential benefits of power plants installing more efficient technology. According to his data, the water that would be saved could equal the amount consumed yearly by 1.3 million people.

“You could switch to dry-cooling power plants or hybrid wet-cooling systems that build in some resiliency against drought, so that’s another approach. You can also look at advanced nanotechnologies to improve the heat capacity of water, so you need less water for cooling. So, there are a lot of options but we have to try them and see what works best,” said Webber.

Texas Water Development Board Publishes Water Plan for the State

28th September, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

The Texas Water Development Board publishes a water plan for the state every 5 years, and it’s most recent plan, released last week, is not optimistic about Texas water reserves in the future.  Here are a couple of excerpts:

In serious drought conditions, Texas does not and will not have enough water to meet the needs of its people, and its businesses, and its agricultural enterprises….

In Texas, temperatures are likely to rise; however, future precipitation trends are difficult to project. If temperatures rise and precipitation decreases, as projected by climate models, Texas would begin seeing droughts in the middle of the 21st century that are as bad or worse as those in the beginning or middle of the 20th century.

You can also read about it more in this KUT article, which states that the report “offered a number of recommendations to the Legislature. Texas lawmakers, it said, should get moving on three reservoir sites (Turkey Peak Reservoir, Millers Creek Reservoir Augmentation and Coryell County Reservoir). Lawmakers should also make it easier to site other reservoirs, and to transfer surface water between different areas. They should require public water utilities to audit their water losses annually rather than every five years.”

Spotlight on Local Businesses: RK Re-Purposing

26th September, 2011 - Posted by katherine - 1 Comment

Two weekends ago I had the opportunity to meet Katie Schon who with her husband Rick have started RK Re-Purposing, a very cool Austin business that specializes in finding new uses for old things.

So far the business primarily focuses on making rain barrels out of food-grade barrels (see above) and garden planters out of old fencing. But they’ve also started designing some furniture, like this sturdy bench, also made out of old fencing, which would be perfect in a backyard garden. (Check them out on facebook and “like” their page and you’ll also be able to see an Adirondack chair Rick recently built out of old fencing, which I’m really coveting.)

The fencing they use would otherwise be burned or hauled to a dump (like now when we’re in a severe drought), so  it’s great they’ve found a new use for it.  Visiting their stand made me really want to get gutters on our house so we can have a rain barrel! The rain barrels Rick and Katie make sell for $45 each, which compared to what you see at garden stores and Whole Foods, is a much better price.  Check them out at the Sunset Valley Farmer’s Market, or contact them if there’s a special project you have in mind!

Austin Water Use Drops 12% Under Stage 2 Restrictions

21st September, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Whew! It’s been a pretty crazy week. I wanted to quickly post a short entry though about this KUT story, which that says that after Stage 2 watering restrictions were put in place, water use dropped about 12%.  Pretty good progress!  The article goes on to talk a little about the fines and reporting water use violations:

“We are working at changing a culture of water users, more so than this feeling like it’s a punitive measure,” Austin Water Utility spokesperson Jason Hill said. First-time violators will receive a warning and an explanation of why it’s important to conserve. If they keep breaking the rules, they could be fined $475.

Anyone who sees someone violating watering restrictions can report them by calling 3-1-1. In the first week of Stage II restrictions, that city phone line received 675 water waste complaints. Last week, the phone service reported 913 calls…

Texas is experiencing the most intense single-year drought in recorded history, but the worst drought on record was a 10-year stretch through the 1940s and 50s.  Currently, Lakes Travis and Buchanan, our region’s water supply reservoirs, are 39 percent full. The Lower Colorado River Authority says as soon as this spring, lake levels could drop to below where they were in that disastrous drought of the mid-20th Century.

Reporting Watering Violations by Calling 3-1-1

14th September, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

I wrote about this earlier, but recently the City enacted Stage 2 watering restrictions, which for many of us may affect how often we water our laws (now only once a week permitted) or when we wash our cars.  Here’s a quick list of the highlights:

• Watering allowed 1 day per week for all Austin Water customers
• Hand-watering allowed anytime
• No automatic-irrigation after 10 a.m. on designated watering day
• Vehicle washing on designated day before 10 a.m.
• No charity carwashes
• No automatic fill valves for pools or ponds
• No outdoor fountains except to provide aeration for aquatic life
• No water to be served at restaurants unless requested
• No washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas or other paved areas

You can report violations by calling 3-1-1, which I did for the first time this week and it was very easy and the City worker I spoke to was  efficient and friendly.  I happened to be driving to work and an apartment complex had their sprinkler system on, and several of the sprinkler heads were watering the street and passing cars rather than the grass, which is a violation.  I called 3-1-1 from my car and quickly gave them the info.  First time offenders just get a warning, which hopefully should make people feel less bad about calling in and reporting water violations, as in many cases the violator probably just doesn’t realize they are doing anything wrong.  In the case of the apartment complex I called in about, I’m sure they just weren’t aware their sprinkler heads got realigned to point the wrong direction and  thus were wasting water, and will be happy to fix it.

Austin Enters Stage 2 Watering Restrictions

6th September, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Effective today, the City of Austin is in Stage 2 Watering Restrictions.  You can learn more from this website.  The main change for most people is that rather than being allowed to water twice a week, residential customers may only water once a week.  Residential customers with odd addresses may only water on Saturday, and residential customers with even addresses may only water on Sunday. Here’s some info from  their website:

• Watering allowed 1 day per week for all Austin Water customers
• Hand-watering allowed anytime
• No automatic-irrigation after 10 a.m. on designated watering day
• Vehicle washing on designated day before 10 a.m.
• No charity carwashes
• No automatic fill valves for pools or ponds
• No outdoor fountains except to provide aeration for aquatic life
• No water to be served at restaurants unless requested
• No washing of sidewalks, driveways, parking areas or other paved areas

Ridiculous Rainwater Companies Crop Up in Central Texas

19th July, 2011 - Posted by katherine - 1 Comment

This article from the Statesman is so irritating. It discusses several companies that have cropped up in central Texas that sell bottled rainwater, claiming that it is purer than municipally treated tap water.  Is that even true, and anyway, who cares? It’s doubtful any of the minimal health benefits outweigh the waste created by all of those plastic bottles, many of which are not recycled and end up in a landfill.  One company, Agana, proudly stated in the article “In a normal year, we’d get 31 inches of rain…That’s equal to about 3.5 million gallons of rain, or 24 million bottles.”  24 million bottles!?!?! Just drink tap water, people!

Meanwhile, the Statesman article explains the dubious health benefits:

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says that rainwater is better for plants than chemically treated water. But Doug Pushard, a founder of HarvestH20.com, a website that encourages rainwater collection, warns, “Rainwater is generally free of harmful minerals, and in most cases chemicals, but can be adversely affected by air pollutants.”

As it falls, rainwater can pick up soot and other airborne microscopic contaminants. On the roof, rainwater can be exposed to herbicide or pesticide sprays that have adhered to leaves, or it can be tainted by animal droppings.

And is Texas air really that great? Don’t we have a lot of coal plants emitting pollutants? Meh? (check out “Texas one of the top four states for mercury emissions”)

I’m also disappointed  that Whole Foods sells bottled rainwater from a Austin company that collects the water in Oregon and then ships it down here. This conflicts with WF’s value of “caring about our communities and our environment.” Contact them here if you would like to encourage them to not support bottled water.

Austin in a 10-Inch Rainfall Deficit; 3rd Worst Drought on Record

11th July, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

KUT had a short article about the drought today, explaining that we are currently in a 10-inch rainfall deficit and if we don’t have an El Nino weather pattern this fall and winter, things will get even worse next year.

April, May and June are our rainy season in Texas. But Austin is still in a 10-inch rainfall deficit with our best rain chances behind us. Our next hope is hurricane season, says Victor Murphy. He manages theNational Weather Service’s South Regional Climate Center.

“For us to get any significant relief between now and September, I think we’re probably going to need some tropical cyclones,” Murphy told KUT News.

That’s what happened last year. Tropical Storm Hermine made landfall in South Texas last September and traveled up I-35, soaking San Antonio, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth and into Southern Oklahoma.

That was the last time Texas saw significant rain. Right now, Texas is in a neutral weather pattern. But in a few months Texas will experience one of two weather anomalies.  Either El Nino, which could bring rain, or La Nina, which won’t.

“If we have another La Nina like we just had last fall and winter, the odds increase dramatically of us having another dry fall and winter season, which would not be good,” Murphy said. “Then the bad news [is], it’s looking a little more probable that [we will see] another La Nina next fall and winter.

Another La Nina would mean a drought comparable to the one in 2008 and 2009. That drought saw two La Ninas back-to-back, with a break in between. Water restrictions got tough, and farmers lost livestock and crops.

But what makes this current drought worse is that it is more widespread: 71 percent of Texas is in “exceptional” drought, making it the third worst drought on record. And people are noticing.

Austin Fireworks Display Canceled because of Drought

9th June, 2011 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

This isn’t exactly green news, but in case you hadn’t hard, Austin’s annual fireworks display for July 4th has been canceled because of the drought.  This indicates how serious the drought is, so it’s a good reminder to try and conserve water (although it won’t bring the fireworks back). Here are some tips from LCRA and also  some San Antonio tips, as well as the following Austin tips (I highlighted some I thought were interesting/new to me):

1. Replace older toilets with low-flow models to save up to 50%. Free toilets are available to replace up to three toilets per household.
2. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering. Be sure only to water plants when necessary. If you use more than 25,000 gallons per month during the summer, get a free irrigation system evaluation by calling 974-2199.
3. Install water-saving showerheads that use 2.5 gallons per minute or less.
4. Report water waste from malfunctioning irrigation systems — call 974-2199.
5. Use a grease pencil to mark the water level of your pool at the skimmer. Check the mark 24 hours later. Your pool should lose no more than 1/4 inch each day.
6. Make your next clothes washer a water-saver, and get up to $100 in rebates.
7. Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops of water and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
8. When washing dishes by hand, use a sink full of soapy water — don’t let the water run.
9. Water lawns during the early morning when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces evaporation and waste.
10. Place an empty tuna can on your lawn to catch and measure the water output of your sprinklers.
11. Scrape food from your plates instead of rinsing. Newer dishwashers and detergents get dishes just as clean without the need to pre-rinse.
12. Hand-water with a hose where possible. Homeowners who water with a handheld hose can use one-third less water outdoors than those who use automatic sprinklers.
13. Cook food in as little water as possible. This will also retain more of the nutrients.
14. Operate automatic dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded or set the water level for the size of load you are using.
15. Fix toilet leaks. Plumbing leaks as a whole account for 14 percent of water consumed in the home, according to a study sponsored by the American Water Works Association.
16. Install water-saving aerators on household faucets.
17. Buy a rain gauge to track how much rain or irrigation your yard receives.
18. Fill your pool a few inches lower than usual.
19. Use mulch to retain moisture in the soil. Mulch also helps control weeds that compete with landscape plants for water.
20. Chill drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the faucet until the water is cold.
21. Clean your driveway or sidewalk with a broom, not a hose.
22. Purchase a rain barrel to capture rainwater for use on your landscape.
23. Choose drought-tolerant plants when landscaping, and group plants with similar water needs together (hydrozoning).
24. Divide your watering cycle into shorter periods to reduce runoff and allow for better absorption every time you water.
25. Use a commercial car wash that recycles water. If you wash your own car, park on the grass and use a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle.
26. Position sprinklers so they’re not watering driveways and walkways.
27. Make sure you know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save gallons of water and damage to your home if a pipe were to burst.
28. Fix leaky faucets. A steady faucet drip can waste 20 gallons of water a day.
29. Adjust your lawnmower to cut grass to a height of 3 inches or more. Taller grass encourages deeper roots and shades the soil to reduce moisture loss.
30. Encourage your employer to promote water conservation in the workplace. Call 974-2199 for commercial and industrial water-saving programs and incentives.
31. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save 4 gallons a minute. That’s 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
32. Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or use the defrost setting on your microwave.
33. Start a compost pile or scrape food into the trash instead of running your garbage disposal, which requires a lot of water to work properly.
34. Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other similar waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
35. Place a bucket in the shower to catch excess water for use on plants.
36. Don’t install or use fountains or other water ornaments unless they use recycled water.
37. Avoid over-seeding your lawn with winter grass. Once established, rye grass needs water every three to five days, whereas dormant Bermuda grass needs water only once a month.
38. Stick to the watering schedule during the summer, and turn off your irrigation system in winter.
39. Wash vegetables and fruits in a bowl or basin using a vegetable brush; don’t let the water run.
40. Use a timer on hose-end sprinklers to avoid over-watering.
41. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
42. Only water your lawn when needed. You can tell this by simply walking across your lawn. If you leave footprints, it’s time to water.
43. Take a 5 minute shower or a 6-inch-deep bath.
44. If you own a pool, use a cover to reduce evaporation.
45. While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.
46. Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
47. Check your water meter and bill to track your water usage.
48. Turn the water off while you shampoo and condition your hair and you can save more than 50 gallons a week.
49. Support projects that will lead to an increased use of reclaimed waste water for irrigation and other uses.
50. Get involved in water management issues. Voice your questions and concerns at public meetings conducted by your local government or water management district.

LCRA Warns About Severe Drought this Summer; Some Water Conservation Tips

19th May, 2011 - Posted by katherine - 1 Comment

The Statesman had this article today that says that the Lower Colorado River Authority has warned that the current 8 month drought we are in may be the most severe in decades:

“We are very concerned, because this drought looks as if it may be one of the most severe we’ve seen in decades,” LCRA General Manager Tom Mason said. Mason added that the LCRA is following its state-approved water-management plan, which contains earlier triggers for cutting back water for agriculture and requesting voluntary cutbacks from municipal and residential users.

Some water conservation tips included in the article are:

• Water lawns twice a week; sprinkler system cycles should be shortened if water is running into the street.
• Fix broken or misdirected sprinkler heads.
• Don’t run water when brushing teeth or shaving.
• Thaw frozen food in a bowl with hot water, not with running water.
• Repair leaky faucets or running toilets.
• Report water waste — runoff into the street from homes or businesses — by calling 311.

I love the last one- I don’t think I would call in on a neighbor, but this morning I noticed a lot of homes that were having water run off into the streets because their sprinkler systems were either not fully pointing the correct way, or the systems were set to run too long.  I would call in on a business though, and the 311 number is so easy to remember!