Outdoor Conservation
How many times have you seen someone hose off their driveway or sidewalk? Or a sprinkler that hits the pavement as often as it hits the lawn? Or someone washes their car with a hose that doesn’t shut off? Summer is peak water use time and these are all too common examples of water waste. Each summer water use in our area doubles and triples due to lawn and garden watering, causing most water bills to jump! In fact, about 32% of your total yearly water bill goes to watering during the summer months. A large part of this may simply be the result of overwatering – something that can be controlled.
A healthy garden doesn’t necessarily need a lot of water. By learning how to amended your soil, choose the right plant for the right place, and how to water efficiently, you can save hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water a year.
Summer is also the time of year when the Clackamas River is flowing at its lowest levels. The Clackamas River is also home to Chinook, Coho, and Steelhead all of which are listed as threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. Using water wisely allows us to have beautiful lawns and gardens while leaving more water in the river for fish.
Check out our rainwater harvesting calculator, our summer 2016 brochure, or some of our other outdoor water conservation tips that can make a big difference for your plants and your pocketbook. By following these recommendations anyone can be on the way to watering wisely.
Conservation Rebates
Conservation Tools
Indoor Conservation
Water Conservation