100 Ways to Save Water

Visit the Water Use it Wisely website for a list of 100 ways to conserve water. And then come up with another idea of your own!

Why Save Water?

• About 65% of indoor home water use occurs in our bathrooms. Toilets are the single greatest water user.

• UNESCO has predicted that by 2020 water shortage will be a serious worldwide problem.

• Did you know that in the United States, the average person uses 80-100 gallons of fresh water a day? (source: USGS)

• In your house check for leaks from faucets and pipes; even the smallest drip can waste as much as 75 liters a day (about 20 gallons).

• Almost 80% of the earth's surface is covered in water. Of this, 97% is salt water, 2% is glacial ice. That leaves less than 1% as fresh water for us to use.

• The human body is about 70% water; we cannot survive more than a week without water.

• A mere 10% of our home water supply is used in the kitchen and as drinking water.

• Indoor water use peaks twice a day year-round, in the mornings and evenings.

• The biggest peaks during the year occur in the summer, when about half to three quarters of all municipally treated water is sprayed onto lawns.

• As a community grows, the water use grows even faster because the diversity of water uses increases with size.

Source: Environment Canada (via Brac Systems website)

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Boden Plumbing primarily serves Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, and the Petaluma area. We provide a full range of residential plumbing repairs and services.
866-663-7477
www.nodrips.com

Water Wisdom Workshop in SonomaSaturday, Feb. 21, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Don't worry about the drought - get informed!

There are things we all can do to use water more efficiently and reduce demand. To find out just what, attend the Water Wisdom Workshop this Saturday at the Veteran's Memorial Building in Sonoma. Boden Plumbing will be there with information on hand about the various water-saving fixtures and strategies available. Come with questions! Expect to go home with a lot of good info for the long dry summer ahead.

The event is free and open to the community. The Veteran’s Memorial Building is located at 126 First St. W. , one block north of Sonoma Plaza.

Saturday's event is organized and sponsored in part by the City of Sonoma, Valley of the Moon Water District, Sonoma Ecology Center, Napa Resource Conservation District, and Southern Sonoma County Resource Conservation District. The stated purpose of the event is to educate Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley residents on the importance of conserving water.

Besides the featured speakers, vendors will also be on hand with displays water products, new innovations, and good information on using water efficiently and coping with impending rationing. Vendors have been encouraged to send bilingual representatives, so encourage everyone you know to take some time out Saturday to stop by the Veterans building. Language differences should not be a barrier to saving water!

The following is the speaker schedule for the event:

• 10:00 Water in Sonoma County: its journey to and from your home, Brian Michelson, SCWA
• 10:30 Rebates to Assist You in Becoming More Water Efficient, Carrie Pollard, SCWA
• 10:40 Sonoma County Greywater Regulations Dewayne Starnes, County of Sonoma, PRMD
• 11:20 City of Sonoma Greywater Regulation Joe Burroughs, City of Sonoma
• 11:40 Landscaping with Natives Mark Newhouser, Sonoma Ecology Center
• 12:30 Drip Irrigation for Your Home Garden Joel Grogan, Sonoma Ecology Center, QWEL Certified
• 12:50 Water Wise Plants, Sonoma County Master Gardeners
• 1:10 Your Watershed is a Changing Climate, Lisa Micheli, Sonoma Ecology Center
• 1:30 Low Impact Development with a stormwater focus, Jack Betourne, Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
• 1:50 City of Napa Water Conservation Program, Pat Costello, City of Napa

We look forward to meeting you on Saturday. See you there!

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Boden Plumbing primarily serves Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, and the Petaluma area. We provide a full range of residential plumbing repairs and services.
866-663-7477
www.nodrips.com

Sonoma! On Sunny Days Do a Rain Dance

along with John, Paul, George and Ringo...



or with Creedence Clearwater Revival. Your choice!



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Boden Plumbing primarily serves Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, and the Petaluma area. We provide a full range of residential plumbing repairs and services.
866-663-7477
www.nodrips.com

Day of Reckoning on Water UseApproaches for Sonoma County

Suddenly we're all wondering how to cut back 30% on our water usage.

Suddenly? Around here it's like talking about the Big One - the earth shattering earthquake that we all know will strike someday. We talk about it, then forget about it, and never prepare ourselves for the inevitable.

Well, the water story in California is the same. We all know the reality of the climate - and we all know how much the Bay Area has grown over the past twenty or thirty years. At some point the water supply and water demand lines were going to cross and then start heading in opposing directions. Probably just needed a drought year to tip the balance.

OK, so we've all been put on notice. So what do we do now?

First and foremost - stop the leaks
You’d be surprised how much water goes down the drain as a result of leaking faucets and connections or running toilets. If you need the cold hard facts, visit this USGS website to find out just how much one leaky faucet can set back your water budget. Check it out.

Also, it’s a good idea to have a separate shut-off for your irrigation system so that if leaks develop outside – and they often do – you can shut your system down until repairs can be made without affecting the house supply.

Replace your old water-hungry toilet
The toilet is certainly the largest water user inside your house, so take advantage of the Sonoma County Water Agency’s rebate program and replace any old non low flow toilets. The water agency will reimburse Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District customers (sewer customers, not septic users) $150 for each high-efficiency toilet installed when you are replacing an old non low flow model. Not bad!

...and water-hungry clothes washer
Did you know that front loading clothes washers (also called horizontal axis machines) cut water use by nearly 40 percent. A typical top-loading machine uses about 40 gallons of water for each full load. In comparison, a front loading clothes washer uses only 20 to 25 gallons. You do the math. Depending on how many loads you wash, you could save as much as 7,000 gallons of water per year.

In addition to the water savings, you also save the energy you would have used to heat that water. Plus, these appliances use less energy than conventional washers - approximately 50 percent less, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Not bad.

Rebates are also available for installing water efficient clothes washers; check with Valley of the Moon Water District (996-1037) or City of Sonoma (938-3681) for more info on what appliances qualify for rebate. On septic? You may still qualify for the same rebates if you are a Valley of the Moon Water District customer or get your water from the City of Sonoma. Check with your water supplier for details.

Consider a Hot Water Recirculation Pump
Are you running the tap waiting for the hot water to arrive? It's a big water waster, but what are ya' gonna do, right?

Wrong. A hot water recirculation system could be just the ticket.

Think about it. You may not run the hot water all day long while the family is away from home at work and school. During that time, heated water lays in the line cooling off. Then when you do get home - or up in the morning - and need the hot water, all that unused and now tepid water needs to be run through the line - and down the drain - before fresh hot water reaches the faucet.

It's goofy. Standard faucets and showerheads put out 2.2 - 2.5 gallons per minute. Even low flow fixtures will allow up to 1.6 gallons down the drain while you wait for hot water. That adds up.

With a recirculation system, water temperature is maintained in the line when you need it most. At Boden Plumbing, we like the Grundfos Comfort System. It's a straightforward install and easy to maintain. The pump attaches to your hot water heater and a small return valve is unobtrusively installed on the furthest faucet in the home. Since the existing lines are used, there's no added expense for additional lines. Then timers keep that hot water circulating in the pipes just when you need it most - saving time, energy, water. You name it.

Choose appropriate plants
Customers in our service area enjoy a Mediterranean climate, which means hot dry summers. With so many wonderful choices available, there's really no excuse for watering plants adapted to a different climate. Reducing turf area to a sensible minimum and growing plants best suited for your area automatically reduces your irrigation use.

...as long as you follow through and water less, that is
Duh! But you'd be surprised - you might even surprise yourself. Seriously, remember to adjust your watering schedule to match your new heat- and sun-loving landscape. Also, include plenty of hose bibs in your outside set-up for easy hand watering and spot watering.

Would you like more information? Visit www.h2ouse.org for more details on wise water use. Or e-mail us here at Boden Plumbing.


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Boden Plumbing primarily serves Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, and the Petaluma area. We provide a full range of residential plumbing repairs and services.
866-663-7477
www.nodrips.com