Navigating Through the Summer Drought
BBB has Water and Money-Saving Tips for Coping with City Water Restrictions
Austin, TX – September 9, 2009 – With record-setting afternoon temperatures continuing, some areas of Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas are facing new water restrictions. In addition to the time constraints on watering outside lawns and plants, consumers need to be aware of water efficient upgrades available for their homes that can save money.
“It can be frustrating for consumers to be told how and when they can use water, but there are many ways to keep plants healthy and lawns green,” said Carrie A. Hurt, President and CEO of BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas. “Consumers just need to be educated and open to making a few changes that will pay off down the road.”
BBB offers the following tips for saving water and coping with city restrictions:
Get Familiar With Watering Times:
Water restrictions will vary in stages from city to city which effect when and how often consumers can water their lawns with sprinklers or irrigation systems. It is important to know when these times occur because law enforcement officials will fine consumers up to $500 for violating these restrictions. Consumers should call their city water service regularly as restrictions may change as drought conditions worsen.
Take Advantage of the Rain:
When there is rain in the weather forecast, consumers can recycle old jugs and buckets by placing them below the run-off points on their roof. Rain water is perfectly fine for plants and this can save consumers money off their water bill by using a natural resource. Water storage tanks can be purchased to connect to a home’s gutter system and can easily fill with 100 gallons or more of water with just an inch of rain if the system is installed properly.
Limit Unnecessary Water Uses:
Outdoor and indoor water fountains, bird baths and misters should be turned off or rarely refilled when water usage is restricted. Some city ordinances will ban these items completely, but consumers can save money by not using them at all. Consumers who regularly power wash their sidewalks and driveways should use a broom instead and wash their vehicles in the grass to avoid wasting water.
Upgrade Indoor Water Users:
Toilets and showers used to be two of the most inefficient water wasters in homes. Now consumers can get toilets that only use a gallon and a half of water per flush and shower heads that use less than three gallons of water per minute. Avoid using washing machines and dishwashers that are only half-full. These changes, along with turning off the water while brushing teeth or shaving, can eliminate unnecessary water usage in consumers’ homes every month.
For more information on water saving tips, visit your city’s official Web site. To find a trustworthy business to purchase water saving devices from, visit www.bbb.org.
About BBB:
BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. BBB accomplishes this mission by creating a community of trustworthy businesses, setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices, celebrating marketplace role models and denouncing substandard marketplace behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Reliability Reports and charity BBB Wise Giving Reports, as well as educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses. The first BBB was founded in 1912. Today, 128 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than 3 million local and national businesses and charities. Please visit bbb.org for more information about the BBB System.
This Better Business Bureau is currently supported by approximately 9,500 Accredited Business locations and serves more than 5.5 million consumers in its 62-county service area in Texas. These counties include: Aransas, Atascosa, Bandera, Bastrop, Bee, Bell, Bexar, Blanco, Bosque, Burnet, Caldwell, Calhoun, Comal, Comanche, Coryell, De Witt, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Frio, Gillespie, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Hays, Hill, Jackson, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, Kleberg, Lampasas, La Salle, Lavaca, Limestone, Live Oak, Llano, Maverick, McLennan, McMullen, Medina, Mills, Navarro, Nueces, Real, Refugio, San Patricio, San Saba, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, Victoria, Webb, Williamson, Wilson and Zavala.