Water Conservation Tips
In 1973 the Town of Apex recognized water as a valuable natural resource and adopted its first water conservation ordinance.
Our current Water Conservation Ordinance details certain continuing water conservation measures. In order to prevent the unnecessary depletion the potable water supply, the following measures apply to all Town water customers at all times whether or not a water shortage exists. Theses measures include:
- No person shall operate an irrigation system in a manner that allows water to fall on impervious surfaces, such as driveways, roads, sidewalks and/or the like.
- No person shall operate an irrigation system in a manner that allows water to accumulate to the extent that it runs off the property.
- Rain sensors are required on all automatic irrigation systems. Rain sensors are devices that measure rainfall and override the irrigation systems, thus shutting it off. To meet the requirements of this ordinance meters should shut off irrigation systems when one-quarter inch (1/4) or more of rain has fallen.
This page identifies several things you can do in the bathroom, the kitchen and the yard to help conserve water and save money.
The Bathroom
- Low-flow toilets. Did you know that (other than irrigation) most families use more water for flushing toilets than for any other household use? New toilets use 1.6 gallons of water every time they are flushed. If you live in a house built before 1994, your toilet could use as much as 7 gallons of water per flush.
- Put a bottle in the tank! You can greatly reduce your water usage by placing a plastic two liter bottle full of water in your toilet tank to save 2 liters of water per flush. (Don’t use bricks as they may crumble over time.)
- Listen for leaks! If you hear water running in your toilet, adjust or replace the leaky float valve.
- Showers versus baths! A 5 minute shower uses roughly 14 gallons of water while an average bath uses as much as 50 gallons! Switch to a low-flow showerhead to save 25 gallons of water for every 5-minute shower. This adds up!
- Turn the water off. Don’t leave the water running while shaving or brushing teeth.
The Kitchen
- Check faucets for leaks. Did you know a single dripping water faucet can waste more water in a single day than one person could drink in a week? Dripping faucets can usually be easily fixed by simply replacing washers.
- Be conservative when washing dishes. When washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running for rinsing. When using a dishwasher make sure it’s fully loaded before you run it. (Same for washing your clothes; load the washer fully before running it.)
- Start a compost pile. Garbage disposals require a large amount of water to operate properly. Compost food scraps (vegetable peels, coffee grounds, etc.) outside in a compost pile. You can then use the compost to fertilize landscaping, which may help to reduce the need for watering plants.
The Yard
- Irrigation. Did you know that during the hot summer months, irrigation accounts for more than 60% of residential water use? This “peak demand” requires millions of dollars in infrastructure investment, including the expansion of the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Plant.
- Use a soaker hose! These drip systems irrigate efficiently without water loss to evaporation. They also eliminate accidental watering of impervious surfaces such as driveways and sidewalks, which is illegal per Town ordinance.
- Water early! If you do choose to irrigate your lawn, watering first thing in the morning on your scheduled day is best. Irrigating mid-day will lose much more water to evaporation and irrigating in the evening can cause fungal growth.
- Water less frequently! Irrigating less often, but deeply will encourage roots to grow deeper and be better able to survive our hot summers with less watering. Frequent, shallow watering leads to weak, shallow-rooted landscapes.
- Mowing. Mow during the coolest part of the day.
- Mow high and often! Fescue should be cut no shorter than 2.5 inches high. The higher you cut, the deeper your root system will grow and the more shade your lawn will provide itself.
- Leave the grass clippings on your lawn! The clippings fertilize your grass naturally as they decompose quickly. They also will discourage weed germination and help preserve soil moisture.
- Signs of over-watering. In the summer, fescue naturally goes semi-dormant (brown) during extremes of hot and/or dry weather conditions. It can survive up to three weeks with no water. If you have seen or continue to see any of the following, you are over-watering your landscape:
- Soil is constantly damp.
- Leaves turn a lighter shade of green.
- Young shoots are wilted.
- Leaves are green but brittle.
- Algae and mushrooms are growing.
- Water runs off area being irrigated.
- Landscape choices. Choosing what and where to plant can help you conserve water.
- Choose drought-tolerant plants! One of the best ways to conserve water is to use plants that are drought-tolerant and that are adapted to the Apex area. Drought-tolerant or low-water use plants can continue to survive once they are established, even during times of little rainfall. Some low-water use plants for Apex include Crape Myrtle, Elaeagnus, Eastern Red Cedar, Chinese and Japanese Hollies, Glossy Abelia, and Juniper.
- Plant strategically! Plant shade trees on the east and west sides of your home if possible. The net cooling effect of a healthy, mature tree is equivalent to ten room-sized air conditioners running 20 hours a day.