Users of the City of Anacortes water system, which include the Town of La Conner, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, and the City of Oak Harbor and Naval Air Station Whidbey, as well as the City of Anacortes, are being asked to conserve water with a goal of a 10% reduction in water use during the time of low Skagit River flows.
During times of low flow, the City and the PUD ask users of Skagit River water to take steps to conserve water with a goal of reducing use by 10 percent.
Here are some measures that can be taken to conserve water:
- Shorter showers. Did you know that taking a shower uses 5 gallons of water each minute? A 10-minute shower uses 50 gallons of water. Cut your shower in half and you can save gallons of water.
- Don’t full up the bath! Baths filled to the brim use between 40 and 60 gallons of water. Use the minimum amount of water needed for a bath by closing the drain first and filling the tub only 1/3 full. Remember; plug the tub before turning on the water. The initial burst of cold water can be warmed by adding hot water later.
- When you brush your teeth or wash your face, use only the water you need. By turning the water off and not letting it run when brushing or washing, you can save 10 gallons a day.
- Reduce flushes. Some toilets use as many as 6 gallons per flush. Tissues, insects and the like belong in the trash, not the toilet.
- Fix a drip. If you notice a leaky faucet or toilet, fix it. A dripping faucet can waste more water in a single day than one person needs for drinking in an entire week.
- Saving water doing dishes. When washing dishes by hand, don’t keep the water running. A basin of wash water and one of rinse water will do the job just as well.
- Compost. Kitchen sink disposals require lots of water to operate properly. Start a compost pile as an alternate method to dispose of food waste instead of using a garbage disposal.
- Run full loads. Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Washing machines use an average of 55 gallons a load and dishwashers about 15 gallons a load. The fewer loads you run, the more water you save. Running the machines when they’re full w ill save you time, energy, and water.
- Water rarely. In the absence of rainfall, lawns need watering once every 3 to 5 days during the summer and every 7 to 14 days during the winter. Good soakings are better for your lawn than frequent short sprinklings.
- Timely watering. Water the lawn only in the morning or after the sun sets when water will not be wasted through evaporation in the hot sun. When watering, avoid using a fine spray because much of the water will be lost in the wind or to evaporation.
- Leave taller grass. The taller the grass is, the less water it needs. When mowing, raise the mower blade to its highest level. A higher cut encourages grass roots to grow deeper, creates shade that cools the roots and holds soil moisture better than a closely trimmed lawn.
- Wash the car with elbow grease. When washing the car, use a bucket, rag, and hose with a shut-off nozzle. Washing your car by just spraying it clean can use as much as 100 gallons of water. You can get your car just as clean if not cleaner and cut water use to 15 gallons if you use the hose only to wet down and rinse it off, doing the rest of the washing by hand.
- Wash the car in the shade. Washing your car in the shade will limit the water lost due to evaporation. Use biodegradable soap (soap that doesn’t harm the environment), and wash the car so that the extra water flows onto the lawn or plant bed instead of the sidewalk or driveway.
- Be selective with water toys. Avoid playing with water toys that require a constant stream of water to work. These toys can use between 150 to 300 gallons every half hour. Find other fun outdoor activities that don’t require you to leave the water running.
- Go with the low-flow. You can save even more water in the shower by replacing a standard shower head with a low-flow version. A low-flow showerhead can save your family almost 30 gallons a day.