SPRING 2020: WATER CONSERVATION
Residents of Harris County Municipal Utility District 383,
Water Conservation does not require you to dramatically change your lifestyle overnight, but it does require each of us to become more aware of how and why we are using our water. Here are some simple steps to help conserve water for our community.
Household Tips:
Check and Inspect:
Thoroughly check and inspect all your pipes, hoses, faucets and even appliances for any type of leaks. The smallest leak can easily result in 1000s of gallons of wasted water.
Lifestyle Habits:
One of the biggest habits to adapt is turning off the water while doing daily hygiene tasks such as brushing teeth, washing hands, shaving and more. By turning off the water during one of these activities the average home can conserve 2,000 plus gallons of water each year.
Water Efficiency Appliances:
Most conventional dishwashers use between 7 to 14 gallons of water per load, while a water-efficient dishwasher uses only 4.5 to 7 gallons of water per load. Another way to conserve water is to only run your dishwasher with a full load of dirty dishes. Whether you run one dish or a full dishwasher the same amount of water is being used each time you run it.
Another water efficiency appliance you can investigate is your clothes washing machine. Many washing machines use upwards of 10,000 gallons of water each year. A high efficiency washing machine usees between 30% to 50% less water per load. That equals out to nearly 5,000 gallons of water each year.
Outdoor Tips:
Yard Maintenance:
Early in the morning and late in the evening are the two best times to water your yard. When watering mid-day there is an increase in the rate of evaporation due to the hotter temperatures. Two more ways to conserve water this spring are to eliminate as many weeds as possible and add mulch to flower beds.
Weeds are known to steal water away from your other plants, so by simply removing weeds you will not have to water your plants and flowers as often.
Pool Maintenance:
There are a few simple ways that residents can conserve water when it comes to the pool. First, examine your autofill hardware and setting on a monthly basis. Be sure to check for leaks that would cause your pool to fill unnecessarily. Secondly, clean all pool filters as regularly as possible to prevent unnecessary backwashing. Backwashing can use up to 1000 gallons of water each time it occurs.
Smart Meters:
As a resident of HCMUD 383, you have a smart meter that measures the usage at your home. By understanding and using your smart meter and associated web- and app-portals, you can track usage, set up leak alerts, and more. If you haven’t already, click this link to learn more and set up your smart meter: https://www.hcmud383.com/smart-meter.
Reminder: Don’t forget to set up a leak alert in the “EyeOnWater” system after registering. You will be alerted when you have higher-than-normal water usage.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to the district through our website’s “Contact Us” page.