S O U T H F L O R I D A W A T E R M A N A G E M E N T D I S T R I C T

50 Ways ToBe Water SmartHOW YOU CAN HELP SAVE FLORIDA’S LIMITED WATER SUPPLY

The South Florida WaterManagement Districtis a regional, governmentalagency that oversees thewater resources in thesouthern half of the state.It is the oldest and largestof the state’s five watermanagement districts.

Our Mission is to manageand protect water resourcesof the region by balancingand improving waterquality, flood control,natural systemsand water supply.

NOTE:

Florida’s lifestyle depends

on a clean, ample supply

of water. You can help

conserve this limited

resource by using these

commonsense tips at

home. It’s important

that we all do our part.

Saving Water Outdoors1. Use a rain gauge tomeasure how much wateryour lawn receives. SouthFlorida lawns typically

need only ¾ to 1 inch of watereach week.

2. Irrigate no more than once a week inthe winter or twice a week in the summer.

3. Turn off sprinklers when it rains. Allautomatic sprinkler systems installedsince 1991 must have a rainfall shut-offdevice, according to Florida law. Thedevice overrides the sprinkling systemwhen it rains.

4. Use Florida-friendly and drought-tolerantplants in your landscape. These plants donot need as much water as other varietiesand are more likely to survive in a dryperiod.

5. Irrigate during the early morning hourswhen temperatures and wind speeds arethe lowest. This reduces water lossthrough evaporation.

6. Position sprinklers to put water on yourlawn and landscape, not onto pavedareas nearby.

7. Install and use timers on all irrigationsystems and portable sprinklers to preventoverwatering.

8. Check and maintain sprinkler systemsand timing devices so that they operateproperly.

9. Install low-flow irrigation systems thatapply water directly to plant root zones. Thisincludes drip, bubble and micro-jet systemsand soaker hoses.

10. Collect rainwater from rooftop gutters ina rain barrel or cistern. Use the stored waterduring dry periods.

11. Adjust your mower blade to leave thegrass 3 inches high when you cut the lawn.Taller grass encourages deeper root growth,shades the root system and holds soilmoisture.

12. Keep the mowing blade sharp to reducestress on your lawn.

13. Use mulch in plant beds to retainmoisture, reduce evaporation anddiscourage weeds that compete withplants for water.

14. Avoid over-fertilizing your lawn.Applying fertilizer increases the need forwater. If you use fertilizer, choose onecontaining 2 percent or less phosphorus.

15. Apply fertilizer using smallerapplications rather than a large, singleapplication. Follow instructions on the label.The label’s the law.

16. To prevent fertilizer spills, use a tarpunder the spreader when filling or emptyingit. Sweep any spilled granular fertilizer ontothe grass. Never hose it off.

17. Postpone fertilizing when more than1 inch of rain is expected.

18. Use a broom or leaf blower instead of ahose to clean leaves and other debris offyour driveway or sidewalk.

19. Attach to your hose an automatic or self-cancelling nozzle that can adjust water flowfrom the hose to a fine spray. Always turnwater off at the faucet, instead of at thenozzle, to avoid leaks.

20. Check connectors on garden hoses andhousehold appliances, such as dishwashersand clothes washers, to make sure thatplastic or rubber washers are in place.Washers prevent water from leaking at thehose connection.

21. Do not leave hoses unattended. Morethan 600 gallons of water can flow from anopen garden hose in one hour.

22. Avoid purchasing recreational toys thatrequire a constant stream of water.

23. Consider using a commercial car washthat recycles water. If you wash your owncar, park on the grass or other non-pavedsurface and use a hose with an automaticor self-cancelling nozzle.

24. Avoid installing fountains or otherornamental water features unless they userecycled water. Properly adjust them so thatwater doesn’t fall outside of the catch basin.

In Your Home25. Repair dripping faucets by replacingthe washers inside. One drop per secondwastes 2,700 gallons of water per year.

26. Retrofit all household faucets withhigh-efficiency units that use 1 gallon ofwater per minute or less.

27. Replace older toilets with low-flowmodels that use 1.6 gallons of water perflush or less. Older models may use up to5 gallons of water per flush.

28. Check for toilet leaks by adding foodcoloring to the tank. If it is leaking, coloredwater will appear in the bowl within30 minutes. Flush the colored waterimmediately to avoid staining the bowl.

29. Replace or adjust the toilet handle if itfrequently sticks in the flush position,letting water run constantly.

30. Install a toilet dam or displacementdevice, such as a filled 16-ounce plasticwater bottle, to reduce the amount of waterused for each flush. Be sure that it does notinterfere with other parts in the tankor bowl. Other devices are available athardware and home centers. Do not usea brick.

31. Replace your showerhead with a low-flow version using 2 gallons of water perminute or less. Older showerheads mayuse up to 5 gallons of water per minute.

32. Take shorter showers. When taking ashower or washing your hair, turn water onto get wet; turn it off before lathering; thenturn water back on to rinse off.

33. Catch excess water in the shower witha bucket and use it to irrigate indoor plants.

34. Operate automatic dishwashers andclothes washers only for full loads. Scrape– don’t rinse – dishes before loading.

35. Store drinking water in the refrigerator,and heat water on the stove or in amicrowave. Don’t let water run from the tapto get cold or hot water.

36. Defrost food overnight in therefrigerator, or use the defrost setting onyour microwave. Don’t thaw food underrunning water.

37. Compost kitchen food waste. Kitchensink disposals require much more waterand energy.

38. Install an instant hot water heater onthe kitchen sink and insulate water pipes.

39. Cool your home with an air-to-airsystem. Newer models are more efficientand use less water than heat pumps andair-conditioning systems.

40. Turn off the faucet after wetting atoothbrush, razor or washcloth. Turn thefaucet back on when you are ready to rinse.

41. Install water softening systems onlywhen necessary. Turn softeners off whenyou leave for vacations.

42. Check and properly maintain any wellpumps. A well pump has a leak if it turnson and off while water is not being used.

43. Avoid unnecessary toilet flushes.Dispose of tissues, insects, medicines andother waste in the trash.

General Water Saving Tips44. Follow community water restrictionsand conservation guidelines. Private wellusers must also comply.

45. Report broken pipes, open hydrants,free-flowing wells and other water losses tothe property owner, local authorities orwater management district.

46. Use the services of businesses thatconserve water, including restaurants thatserve water only upon request.

47. Support projects that increase theavailability of reclaimed waste water forirrigation and other uses.

48. Support programs that promote waterconservation among tourists and thebusinesses that serve them, such asWaterCHAMP and Green Lodging.

49. Conserve water when you are stayingat a hotel by requesting fewer replacementtowels and sheet changes.

50. Do something every day to save water.Every drop counts.

For MORE water conservationinformation and materials,visit us on the Web atwww.savewaterfl.com

50 WAYS TO BE WATER SMART

South Florida Water Management District3301 Gun Club RoadWest Palm Beach, Florida 33406561-686-8800 • 800-432-2045www.sfwmd.gov

MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 24680West Palm Beach, FL 33416-4680

EN10/12/11

WATERUSEno excuse!

REDUCE YOUR

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