Cuts in Water Usage, Cuts in Utility Bill

Santa Cruz, California – A small city of about 60,000 people at the northern tip of the Monterey Bay, normally heavily reliant on groundwater and reservoir water sources, is facing a serious water shortage during California's latest drought years. Santa Cruzian's are being advised to limit their water usage and not forget about the ongoing drought. However, these strategies are not only useful for Santa Cruz community members, but also for communities elsewhere in the country who may not have drought-induced water restrictions.

Keep reading to find easy ways to make cuts in your water usage and your utility bill.

1. Water your yard before 10am or after 5pm.

The soil will retain more of the water you give it. Between 10am-5pm heat from the sun can evaporate a significant portion of the water you dispel, leaving your plants with less bang for your waterbuck.

2. Keep irrigation on the landscape.

Sprinklers running on a sidewalk, driveway, or path will run directly into the street and off to the city drainage. A little bit of driveway dripping may seem minimal, but if the sprinklers go on every day, overtime minimal adds up.

3. Use a broom to sweep, rather than the hose to wash paved surfaces or exteriors of buildings.

4. Purchase any cheap nozzle for your outdoor hoses.

Plants often prefer pampering with spray rather than pools of water anyway. You'll never forget you left the water on with those!

5. Fix leaks in plumbing and irrigation systems.

Water leaking where you don't want it is bad anyway. Leaks may point to further problems in your pipes you may not have known about. Holes in piping due to corrosion may additionally be compromising the quality of the water you use in your house.

6. Replace your traditional water softener with a water conditioner.

Water conditioners, such as Scale Stopper, will remove scale buildup and produce no waste water byproduct in the meantime!

6. Catch water when it rains.

Rig your roof gutters to drain into a bucket or tank. Use the tank water to water your plants in the future rather than the hose.

List compiled with the help of the City of Santa Cruz Water Department website.

For more information about our Scale Stopper product, see previous blog posts, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call. We are always happy to help!