|
| For information about free water efficiency programs and services, please visit Programs & Resources. You may also contact our water education team at 791-6932 or e-mail them directly. |
Providing Water Today … Preparing for Tomorrow
Saving Water Saves Electricity!
Do you know that every time you turn on the tap you use energy? A tremendous amount of electricity is needed to run the numerous pumps that obtain, purify, bring water to homes and businesses and ultimately transport waste to your regional wastewater utility. Water pumping is the single largest use of electricity in California, and the cost of electricity accounts for a considerable portion of a water utility’s total operating budget.
San Juan Water District urges customers to save energy by saving water and reduce outdoor watering, which accounts for about a quarter of all water used. We are asking customers to water outdoors between midnight and 10 a.m., when energy demand is lowest, but avoid the period of 5 to 8 a.m. when indoor water use is at its peak.
Changing your watering patterns will reduce electricity demand during peak load times, energy costs and, ultimately, customer costs.
Turn off the Tap!
Helpful Hints for Indoor Water Efficiency
- Install a low-flow showerhead (save up to 800 gallons a month)
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth (save up to 10 gallons a day)
- Use a high-efficiency washing machine (save more than 16 gallons a load)
- Repair a leaky faucet (save up to 430 gallons a month)
- Install a low-flow faucet aerator (save more than 140 gallons a month)
- Fix toilet leaks (save up to 500 gallons of water a day)
Efficiency is Easy
Here are some simple ways to reduce your outdoor water use:
- Save water while getting exercise! Use a broom or rake instead of a hose to clean driveways, sidewalks or patios.
- Water your landscape between midnight and 10 a.m. to avoid the hottest part of the day when water is lost to evaporation. Also, since the hours from 5 to 8 a.m. are peak indoor water use times, don't program your timer to run during those morning hours.
- Avoid operating your irrigation system on windy days. Spray from your sprinklers will just be blown away.
- Inspect irrigation systems regularly for breaks or stuck valves.
- Water with the weather! Turn off your sprinklers and irrigation system during the rainy season. Alternatively, purchase a rain sensor to automatically shut off your irrigation system when it rains.
- Check to make sure the soil is dry before watering. A simple tool, like a screwdriver, can help you do it! Push a screwdriver into the soil at various locations of your lawn. If it goes into the soil easily, then the soil is moist and you don't need to water.
Landscape Water Budgets
Initiating landscape water budgets for dedicated irrigation accounts as well as non-residential mixed use accounts has the potential to save our most precious resource, save customers money, and postpone the need to develop additional system distribution capacity.
As of 2005, water use in San Juan Water District retail service territory averaged 5 million gallons per day (mgd) in the winter, while summer use escalated to as high as 31 mgd. Many components of the water distribution system must be designed to accommodate the highest flow months. This includes the treatment plant, piping infrastructure, and pumping stations. By reducing the overall demand, San Juan customers can save water, distribution system capacity and money on their irrigation bill.
What is a Water Budget?
To help our customers save water and money while improving irrigation efficiency, San Juan Water District will be creating estimated landscape water budgets for its non-residential customers. A water budget is a useful tool that can assist you in determining how much water your particular landscape needs over a specific period. To prepare an accurate estimate of water use for a landscape water budget, factors such as local evapotranspiration, rainfall, and square footage of irrigated area are included in the budget calculations.
Why Do I Need a Water Budget?
Landscapes can absorb more water than they need and still look good. Because of this most people overwater their landscapes. Water budgets can be used to fine tune current water management. San Juan will be mailing out informational landscape water use reports to its dedicated irrigation accounts and non-residential mixed use accounts that compare actual water use against the recommended water budget. Using this as a tool will help customers water with the weather creating a better watering plan for their landscape and ultimately a healthier landscape.
Measuring a Property’s Landscape
Over the next four years, San Juan employees will be measuring landscaped areas for dedicated irrigation accounts and non-residential mixed use accounts. Staff will be physically measuring both turf areas and shrub areas for these accounts and will be preparing a unique water budget for each measured site. Hardscape (or non irrigated areas) are not measured nor are they included in the water budget.
Weather Data
A remote weather station located in Fair Oaks measures solar radiation, air temperature, soil temperature, wind speed and humidity as well as rainfall. The data is then entered into an equation and the result is the ETo, or reference evapotranspiration, that is provided in inches per period. Accurate weather data is essential in creating a useful water budget. The station ensures that San Juan staff has accurate weather data for the area. For more information about local weather stations sponsored by the Department of Water Resources visit the CIMIS website.
www.cimis.water.ca.gov/cimis/welcome.jsp
Creating the Water Budget
A water budget is created by multiplying the measured landscaped area (separated by turf and non-turf/shrub areas) by the ETo. This data is then compared against actual customer water usage and is presented in the landscape water use report. Where the irrigation water use in not available for non-residential mixed use accounts, usage is estimated based on the size of the landscape and the average amount of water used during the winter months.
Contact Us
If you have questions or comments about the landscape water budget process you may contact us at xxx or click here to send an email.
savewater@sjwd.org
Definitions
Dedicated irrigation account: A water connection used solely for landscape.
ET: Evapotranspiration: The loss of water to the atmosphere by the combined processes of evaporation (from soil and plant surfaces) and transpiration (from plant tissues). It is an indicator of how much water your crops, lawn, garden, and trees need for healthy growth and productivity.
ETo: Reference evapotranspiration: T he ET rate of a reference crop expressed in inches or millimeters.
Mixed use account: A water connection used for both indoor and outdoor water use.
|
