Water conservation efforts in Santa Maria, CA are certainly not a new thing. In fact, they’ve been a big deal ever since the drought of 1987-1992 which caused city officials to establish the month of May as Water Awareness Month each year. However, as California and other parts of the western United States continue to face drought conditions of epic proportions, it’s time for everyone to take water conservation seriously.
Why Is Water Conservation Necessary?
A recent study published in Nature Climate Change declared that “2000-2021 was the driest 22-yr period since at least 800” with some environmental experts classifying this period as a megadrought. With a moisture deficit still in place, it doesn’t look like drought conditions will improve in the immediate future. That has led California state officials to enact emergency water regulations in an effort to preserve existing water resources.
Be a Water Warrior: Water Conservation Tips We ALL Can Use
Whether or not the megadrought continues beyond 2022 remains to be seen, but one thing is clear. If there was ever a time when water conservation was essential for everyday living … THIS is it!
With that in mind, below are some water conservation tips shared by the City of Santa Maria Utilities Department. If we ALL put them to use, our small individual changes can add up to creating a big impact.
How to Conserve Water in the Bathroom:
- Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
- Plug the sink and fill it with a few inches of water to use for shaving instead of running water the whole time.
- Take shorter showers.
- Utilize a low-flow showerhead to save on water usage.
- When showering, turn off the water while you lather up.
How to Conserve Water in the Kitchen:
- Only run your dishwasher when it’s full of dirty dishes.
- Use less detergent when washing dishes so less rinse water is needed. (Hint: When you use soft water instead of hard water, this is easy to do!)
- Use an outdoor composter for food scraps instead of running the garbage disposal.
- Fill a pan with water for rinsing vegetables instead of doing it under running water.
How to Conserve Water Outside:
- Make sure your irrigation system only waters plants, not the driveway or sidewalk.
- When allowed, irrigate your landscape in the early morning before the temperature spikes and causes rapid evaporation.
- Don’t run irrigation after it rains. (This seems obvious but you might be surprised how many people forget to turn off their irrigation if it’s regulated by an automatic timer.)
- Water deeply and less frequently – plants will develop deeper roots and can access underground water stores.
Conserve Water With Eco-Friendly Soft Water Solutions
All this talk about water brings our favorite topic to mind – water treatment. We know that many people in and around Santa Maria have hard water and are looking for soft water solutions for home or work.
With new water regulations in place and water conservation efforts in full swing, we recommend our Portable Exchange Tank Service as the most environmentally-friendly way to get access to soft water. Water usage is reduced by at least two-thirds compared to traditional water softeners and the tanks are maintained and exchanged by us – that means soft water with no hassle AND using less water to boot.
Are you ready to make water conservation a part of daily life? We are too! Simply contact us today and we’ll help you find the best water treatment solution for your home that’s good for you and the environment.