WATER AND WASTEWATER DIVISIONS

Water Conservation

The Haverhill Water Department asks all residents to conserve water whenever possible. Some methods of conserving water are:

• installing low flow plumbing fixtures, such as toilets, shower heads, and faucets, in your home
• residents can better utilize water outdoors by only watering grass when needed and applying the water in the early morning or evening to prevent evaporation.
• If you have an automatic sprinkler system you can install a soil moisture sensor to prevent the system from coming on if adequate rainfall has occurred.

Conservation kits are available at the Water Treatment Plant for all city residents. These kits consist of faucet flow restricters, leak detection tablets for toilets, and a shower meter/toilet tank water displacement bag.

Conservation Tips:

• Bathroom
  • Install a water-saving shower head - reduces flow to 2.5 gal/minute from 10 gal.
  • Install aerators on faucets
  • Take shorter showers. "Navy showers" are best. Run water to wet down, turn off water, shampoo and soap up, and then rinse off.
  • Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving. Save 4-10 gallons a day.
  • Close your tub drain before turning on the water. Save 3 gallons or more.
  • Fill your bathtub only halfway. Save 5 gallons or more. Saves in hot water costs, too.
  • Install a water dam in the toilet - saves 2-3 gal/flush.
    
    
• Kitchen and Laundry Areas
  • Fill your sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes. Saves 8-15 gallons per day. Saves on hot water costs, too.
  • Run your dishwasher only when full. Save up to 15 gallons per load. Saves on hot water cost, too.
  • Wash vegetables and fruit in a basin. Use a vegetable brush to remove dirt. Save 2-4 gallons per day.
  • Run the washing machine only when full and adjust the water level setting carefully. Washing machines use 22-25 gallons per load. Save the water for 1-2 loads every week. Saves on hot water costs, too.
  • Keep cold drinking water in your refrigerator.
  • Do not use running water to defrost frozen foods.
  • Run your garbage disposal only when necessary. Save 2-7 gallons per minute.
    
    
• Faucets and Shower Heads
  • Repair all leaks quickly. Dripping or trickling faucets and showerheads can waste from 75 to several hundred gallons of water per week depending on the size of the drip. Worn out washers are the main cause of these leaks and a new one generally costs about 25 cents.
  • Install low-flow aerators in faucets. Save 1/2-1 1/2 gallons/minute. Be sure to remove your aerator periodically to clean the particles that may have collected in the screen.
    
    
• Testing for Simple Leaks
  • A leaky faucet is pretty obvious. But hidden leaks in the toilet, under the sink, or behind a washing machine can waste a gigantic amount of water. And they could be damaging your floors or ceilings too. Take a reading of your water meter. Wait an hour, making sure no one uses any water in your home. Check it again. If the reading has changed, you have got at least one leak and you need to investigate.
  • That trickling sound you hear in the bathroom could be a leaky toilet wasting 50 gallons of water a day or more. But sometimes it leaks silently. Try this:
  • Crush a dye tablet in its envelope and carefully empty the contents into the center of the toilet tank and allow it to dissolve. Wait about 8-9 minutes. Inspect the toilet bowl for signs of blue dye indicating a leak. If the dye has appeared in the bowl, your flapper or flush valve may need to be replaced. Parts are inexpensive and fairly easy to replace. If no dye has appeared in the 8 to 9 minutes time, you probably don't have a leak.
    
    
• Garden & Landscaping Tips
  • Water in the cool parts of the day (early morning is best) to cut down on evaporation.
  • Add compost to your soil to improve its water holding capacity. (Mulch, which can be made from readily available wood chips or leaf mold, act as a blanket to keep in moisture and help prevent erosion, soil compression, and weeds.)
  • Check for and repair leaky hose connections and sprinkler valves. Small leaks can be very wasteful.
  • Ask your nursery person about low water using turf and raise your lawnmower cutting height. Longer grass blades help shade each other and cut down on evaporation.
  • Preserve existing trees. Established plants are often adapted to low water conditions.
  • Water trees and shrubs, which have deep root systems, longer and less frequently than shallow-rooted plants, which require smaller amounts of water more often.
  • Porous paving materials such as brick, decomposed granite, or gravel used in patios and walkways help keep water in the garden rather than in the gutter.
  • Do not over water your lawn. One good soaking a week is sufficient (no more than an inch a week). Timing devices allow efficient watering on a schedule suited to each area of the landscape - installing a rain sensor will prevent watering when it's not necessary.
  • Using a drip irrigation system applies water slowly, reducing run-off and promoting deep rooting.
  • Always remember the one-inch rule: Don't over water! Established lawns and shrubs and most vegetables and flowers need just one inch of water a week. If there has been an inch of rainfall during the week, you don't need to water at all.
  • How can you tell if your yard has received an inch of water? Collect rainfall or sprinkler water in a container such as a coffee can, then measure with a ruler. Inexpensive gauges are available at most garden centers.
  • Do not hose down your sidewalks and driveways. Sweep them instead.

Report any hydrant or street leaks to the Water Department (978-374-2368).

For more information on conservation call the Water Treatment Plant at (978) 374-2385 or check out this EPA website www.epa.gov/watersense

Remember conserving water saves you money. It reduces water, wastewater and energy bills.