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To Go Green, Respect the Blue
September, 2011 - Issue #83
Water like You Mean It

With little rainfall and hot and dry summer months, the valley must carefully manage limited water supplies. So throughout the year, Castaic Lake Water Agency is asking all customers to rethink water consumption and to reduce water usage by 10 percent. Here are the top 10 easy ways you can conserve:

Adjust your Sprinklers
Up to 80 percent of residential water use goes to maintaining our yards. Is your irrigation system running every day? That's too much! Try taking a day off the timer, preferably the same day the lawn is mowed, and watch the health of your yard improve.

Check your System
Do a weekly check for broken or clogged sprinkler heads and replace them right away. Make sure you are watering your yard and not the driveway or sidewalk.

Get a Run on Runoff
Do you see water runoff from your yard each time you water? It could mean the lawn needs aeration. When you aerate your lawn, you give the water somewhere to go besides down the storm drain.

Fix those Leaks
A quarter-gallon-per-minute leak, or just more than a drip, wastes over 10,000 gallons per month. A leaking flapper on a toilet also increases flows at the water treatment plant.

Choose Drought-tolerant Plants
Many of the lawns and plants we use are not intended for the unique climate in the Santa Clarita Valley. Come visit the Conservatory Garden at 27234 Bouquet Canyon Road for water-wise plant ideas that work well in the SCV.

Pick Up a Broom and Turn Off the Hose
Sweeping up rather than hosing off leaves or grass clippings not only saves water, but putting them into a green yard waste recycling container saves landfill space as well.

Adjust your Nozzle
Get an adjustable hose nozzle with a shutoff feature for outdoor use. That way you can adjust the spray to meet your needs. Five minutes of an open hose running is the same as a 20-minute shower.

Shorten the Shower
Cutting two minutes off your shower time can save 600 gallons a month for a family of four. If you change the showerhead to a water efficient model that is available from your water purveyor, you could save even more.

Turn Off the Water while You Brush your Teeth

Only Wash Full Loads

Waiting until you have a full load versus washing many smaller loads can save you up to 20 gallons for the same amount of clothes.
Courtesy of Castaic Lake Water Agency; www.whatsyourwaternumber.org

Never Water your Lawn Again
With water supplies diminishing and a renewed desire to "go green" on many minds, installing synthetic turf has become a common solution to the pressing problem of water shortage.
Projects big and small will all benefit from a custom synthetic turf application. Small lawns, side yards, dog runs, athletic fields, putting greens and expansive estate lands all look and feel gorgeous and natural after a custom turf install.

Plus, they'll pay for themselves by eliminating water usage, making fertilizers and re-seeding a thing of the past and reducing or eliminating the cost of a gardener (No mowing again, ever!). You'll save money, water, time, frustration and stress while gaining a beautiful grassy scape that looks amazing 365 days a year.

Custom Turf Scapes does turf "one way, the right way, one time, the first time"; 510-5778

"Drain Less, Clean More" Pool Maintenance
The most affordable way to bring your pool back to life is also the most ecologically sound. Pool Tile Savers drains only a minimum amount of water and gets your tile, brick, concrete, stone, ceramic, pebbletech and more looking like new - usually in a day or less - without the use of harsh chemicals; 510-5778
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