ARTICLE

RAIN BARRELS...not just another drop in the bucket

This month's column is devoted to water conservation and a easy ways for you to get involved.

Water is literally the lifeline of all living things. We can survive without food for extended periods of time but without water we would perish very quickly. Water is a precious resource which unfortunately we often take for granted, believing that supplies are limitless. Not so.

In particular, residential consumption is skyrocketing, growing faster than the rate of population growth. Believe it or not there is a limit to how much and how fast water can be retrieved from it source, treated and delivered to residents. The good news is that yes, once again you can do something, you can take action to conserve water - starting around your own home.

Leaky faucets waste a significant amount of water, not to mention the annoyance factor they create. A leaky toilet can waste 200 litres of water every day. An easy way to test your toilet for leaks is to add a few drops of food coloring to the tank, if color appears in the bowl you have a leak and it should be fixed right away. Another conservation tip is to defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator rather than running them under the tap. Keeping a jug of cold water in the fridge for drinking rather than running the tap is another easy way to cut down on your water usage. When doing laundry or dishes, always make sure you have a full load and if you are in the market for a new washing machine, consider one with the drum on the side, it requires about one half the amount of water to wash. A water saving shower head will conserve 40% more water.

Some of the greatest water conservation can be done outside your home. A rain barrel is an excellent way to collect runoff rain water to be used in various applications from watering your garden plants and shrubs to washing your car. Both watering lawns no more than once a week in the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation and only using one inch of water to do so are two more ways of effectively reducing your water consumption. Place a container under your sprinkler and do the measurement. Cutting the lawn less frequently and to longer lengths will help your lawn retain water otherwise lost through evaporation as well as longer lawns are better able to fight off the weeds than shorter ones. Grass clippings left on the lawn rather than bagged for the curbside will help your lawn retain moisture and also will act as fertilizer.

When upgrading an existing garden or planning to develop a new one, why not try Xeriscaping. Xeriscaping is the practice of quality landscaping that conserves water and protects the environment. Xeriscape landscaping is made up of seven basic principles:

1. planning & design is the foundation of any water-wise landscape.

2. soil analysis will determine whether soil improvement is needed for better absorption and improved water-holding capacity.

3. practical turf areas suggest that turfgrasses be used as a planned element in the landscape. Avoid impractical turf use, such a long narrow areas.

4. Appropriate plant selection keeps the landscape more in tune with the natural environment. Both native and exotic plants make up the large variety of plants available for Xeriscape landscaping.

5. efficient irrigation simply saves you 30 to 50 percent on water.

6. Use mulches in flower and shrub beds to prevent water loss from the soil through evaporation and to increase water penetration during irrigations.

7. Appropriate maintenance preserves the beauty of the landscape plus saves water. Pruning, weeding, proper fertilization, pest control and irrigation system adjustments all conserve water.

For more information on Xeriscape landscaping, check with your local gardening outlet or contact the Public Information Centre at: 1-800-565-4923.

If you would like to purchase a rain barrel, they are available at most hardware stores, or stop by the Walkerton Healthy Community Initiative booth at this years Walkerton Home Show, April 5-7 for more information on water conservation.

Drop by drop, conserving our water supply is a necessity, and it is easily achievable by everyone. Again, start small, but start today. Pick one thing you can do to conserve water and make it a part of your daily routine. Whether it be wetting your toothbrush and turning the water off until it's time to rinse or cutting your daily shower time by a few minutes Before you know it you'll be saving water and helping to renew this vital resource.