Tuesday, June 30, 2015

If your community is experiencing drought, you can use the information below in blogs, articles, or websites to educate your customers and provide tips for using less water. Include any additional facts, tips, restrictions, and resources your organization has available to help consumers curb their water use. You can also refer them to the WaterSense website or the U.S. Drought Monitor (www.drought.gov).

When in Drought, Use WaterSense

With the current drought conditions in our community, we need everyone to help conserve water where possible. In the midst of this serious water shortage, there are a number of things you can do to reduce stress on our local water supply without sacrificing your comfort, convenience, or curb appeal:
 • Follow the rules. Our community has put temporary water restrictions in place to save limited supplies for those who need it most, including firefighters, health care facilities, and electrical utilities. Please respect our request to use less water on your lawns, cars, and other outdoor uses during this water shortage [insert specific local watering times or requirements here as appropriate].
 • Consider an upgrade. If you're thinking about a bathroom update, now is the time to replace old plumbing fixtures with more efficient, high-performing models. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense® program labels toilets, faucets, and showerheads that have been independently certified to perform well and use less water than standard models. You could even save a little green on utilities!
• Take a sprinkler break. Grass doesn’t have to be bright green year-round. It's natural for your landscape to turn a little brown at the tips during summer’s hottest months. You can cut back on watering without compromising the health of your lawn. And if you have an irrigation system with a clock timer, consider upgrading to a WaterSense labeled controller, which tells your system when and how much to water based on local weather and landscape conditions.

For more information about how to save water during the drought, visit [insert url for your water conservation page]. Visit www.epa.gov/watersense to learn more about finding WaterSense labeled products and promoting water-smart landscapes.