When In Drought (or not)...
Charlottesville encourages our community to help conserve water where possible. These tips are important to do during hot, dry weather; drought conditions; or all year long! This will help you save money and the sustainability of our local water supply.
Tips:
- Follow the rules: When our community has put temporary water restrictions in place, it is to save limited supplies for those who need it most, including firefighters, health care facilities, and essential needs. Please respect this request to use less water on your lawns, cars, and other outdoor uses during any official water shortage.
- Use WaterSense and 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 your energy and water utilities! Remember the City offers free water conservation kits and $150 to replace your toilets and install with a WaterSense one!
- 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 of the moisture content in your soil.
- Pick the right plants: When upgrading your landscape, use grass in areas where needed for play or foot traffic, and select native plants in other areas that need less water. Place plants into “hydrozones” so that all the landscaping in one area needs the same amount of water. Don’t forget to mulch as well; mulch will prevent weeds and help the ground retain moisture.
- Get creative about saving water: Place a bucket in the shower to collect water for household plants or pets’ water bowls while the water is heating up for showering or dishwashing. Wash only full load of dishes in your dishwasher. And remember to turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, while shaving, and when washing your hands or face.
For more tips and resources, check out our all these various topics on our webpage including information for schools and businesses (LINK).
