Saving every drop

An old Chinese proverb states, "When you drink the water, remember the spring."

For Dayton and Mound House residents, the "spring" is the groundwater basin, which state water officials say is overappropriated and at risk during droughts or periods of peak usage.

With that in mind, Lyon County Utilities employee Ingrid Walker does her best to convince residents to follow the watering schedule spelled out in the county water ordinances and given to customers in their water bills.

"I want my kids to live here a very long time, with plenty of water to spare," she said. "I think it's something that's really important to the water district and to me personally.

The schedule is based on the last digit of addresses. Those whose addresses end in an odd number may water on odd-number calendar days; those with an even-number ending may water on even-number days.

Residents must not water their lawns between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., during the heat of the day, on windy periods or on rainy days.

Walker said violations of the odd/even schedule will result in written warnings for the first two incidents, followed by fee assessments included in water bills, starting at $25 for the third offense and going up to $500 for the seventh offense.

But she prefers to educate people about the need to conserve, saying it was usually effective and she noticed results.

She knocks on doors and talks to residents face-to-face, and if they're not home, she leaves bright yellow doorhangers that indicate what the warning is for, with the watering schedule and tips on how to save water.

"Last year, I think we handed out abut 170-plus signs, and this year I have handed out about 30," she said. "People are reading their insert, people are paying attention to the situation and taking precautions not to waste water.

She said last year there were more new people than this year, and weren't used to water restrictions.

"I think the education that was done through the newspaper, mailers and door notices, and all the little one-liners on the bills made people aware of keeping track of their water," she said.

Reading meters is only part of Walker's job. She rebuilt the metering system, and is certified to work with water and drives around at different times looking for violators she can educate to help conserve water.

She said to save water, residents should water their lawns on the correct day, at night or early in the morning, and not when it is windy or rainy.

The can also contact landscape specialists to will help them avoid overwatering or help with xeriscaping or desert landscaping to cut water use.

Walker also said people in older homes or subdivisions may have sprinkler system timers that aren't quite as accurate as they used to be, and suggested residents upgrade to newer, reasonably-priced timers.

To avoid wasting water while washing cars, Walker said residents should make sure there's a spray nozzle on their hoses.

"It doesn't help much of water is running down the gutter," she said.

Her favorite water tips, she said, are turning off the spigot when brushing teeth or washing dishes, and using regular-size laundry loads.

"It's amazing how quickly the water goes through that meter," she said.

Utilities Director Mike Workman said that during peak season, most water increases are due to lawn watering and irrigation. In June 2008, Dayton and Mound House residents used 247 gallons per day, per person. Last winter, the amount was about 50 gallons per day, per person, he said.

"You can see the impact that has," he said. "If we can just trim 20 percent from our outside irrigation, we could save from 50 to 100 million gallons of water in a summer."

He said the water ordinances only address watering schedules and water wasting, it doesn't prohibit things like car washing or allowing kids to play in the sprinkler.

He said that in case of an extended drought, the county commission has the power to declare a water emergency, where they could restrict activities such as washing cars.

"Under normal conditions like now, those things are not restricted," he said. "We just ask people to be sensible about that."

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-7351.

WATER USAGE TOTALS

Through June of each year:2008: 419.75 million gallons

2007: 473.783 million gallons

2006: 368.388 million gallons

2005: 339.23 million gallons

Source: Lyon County utilities

WATER CONSERVING TIPS

• Don't over-water the lawn

• Adjust sprinklers to avoid over-spray and run-off

• Water during the coolest part of the day

• Check and maintain proper sprinkler timer settings.

• Consult with a landscape professional on how to maintain a healthy landscape.

• Promptly repair even the smallest leaks.

• Replace old household plumbing fixtures with low-flow fixtures.

• Contact Lyon County Utilities for a list of allowable exemptions to the watering schedule.