By Cathy Spaulding
Originally published on July 9, 2008
Editor’s note: One in a series.
Thanks to careful planting and plenty of rain, Muskogee gardener Karen Coker says she hasn’t had to water her garden yet this summer.
“My secret has been placing the right plant in the right place; get the trees and shrubs in first,” said Coker, who landscaped her garden to use as little water as possible. Still, she said she has noticed her hydrangea leaves beginning to curl up.
Heavy rains through June have kept many area residents from having to water their gardens or lawns this summer.
However, as temperatures rise during July and August, sprinklers soon will go up and water bills will rise. July and August historically have the highest water usage of the year, said Janet Brown, revenue manager with the City of Muskogee Water Department.
Whether on the lawn, in the garden or inside the house, there are ways to cut back on high water bills, according to Brown and area plumbers and landscapers. It all boils down to conserving water.
The Environmental Protection Agency says the typical suburban household uses at least 30 percent of its water outdoors for irrigation.
“Some experts estimate that more than 50 percent of the landscape water goes to waste due to evaporation or runoff caused by over-watering.”
Brown said drip irrigation could help ease evaporation.
Kyle Mendenhall of Green Country Sprinklers said that while drip irrigation is good in some gardens, most lawns need above-ground irrigation. He said timing is the key to saving water on the lawn. He suggested setting automatic sprinklers to operate at 1 or 2 a.m. Otherwise, water early in the morning or in the evening.
“Some people I see watering at noon, and they are just wasting their water,” Mendenhall said.
Coker said she always waters early in the morning.
“I’ve always been very careful in saving water,” she said. “I turn off faucets when I brush my teeth.”
By doing that, Coker can save up to eight gallons of water a day, or 240 gallons a month, according to EPA figures.
The EPA also advises against running the washing machine unless it’s a full load, or use the appropriate water level for each load.
Brown and area plumbers agree that preventing leaks is the best way to conserve water. Preventing leaks involve more than just tightening the faucets. Monitor your toilets and pipes as well.
The Environmental Protection Agency says faucets that drip at one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons a year while a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water a day.
“The number one problem is the stool leaking,” said Jeff Triplett of Triplett Plumbing. “When you hear it sort of hissing or echoing through the pipes, you should check for leaks.”
The EPA has this test to see if your toilet is leaking: Place a drop of food coloring in the tank. If the color shows in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak.
Triplett said the main cause of toilet leaks is a worn out flapper, or flush valve, the device that covers the hole between the tank and the bowl.
“You have to change the parts, change the flapper,” he said, explaining that a worn flapper has wavy edges, like a clam.
Wayne McCollough, marketing director for American Leak Detection, said an unusually high water bill also could signal a water leak. The American Leak Detection Web site suggested comparing your water bills from month to month.
Muskogee city water customers have a meter that indicates the possibility of a leak, Triplett said.
Brown said a red dial on the water meter turns if water is flowing when all other sources, such as showers, ice makers or dishwashers, are not running. However, she said water customers who try to check their own meters run the risk of damaging the wires attached to the meter. She said people can call to have their meter checked during operating hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
10 ways to save water
1. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk.
2. Install a water-efficient showerhead.
3. Plug the bathtub before running the water, then adjust the water as the tub fills.
4. Check pipes, faucets, toilets for leaks.
5. Take shorter showers.
6. Water your lawn only when needed, and deep soak it.
7. Don’t let the water run while washing dishes, shaving or brushing your teeth.
8. Operate dishwashers or washing machines, only when full, or when water level is set appropriately for the load.
9. Water lawns in the early morning or late evening.
10. Don’t let water run down the drain if it can be recycled for your garden or cleaning.
SOURCES: American Leak Detection, Environmental Protection Agency, American Water & Energy Savers Web site.
City of Muskogee Water Department
• Billing Office, 682-6602.
• Emergency Services, 682-5021.
