While the good things in life are free, Santa Maria residents have to account for all the things that still cost money.
In times of economic recession, especially, going without to save money is more and more common, but if you can’t spare a dime, why spare a drop of water?
A simple leaky faucet may seem irrelevant, but a dripping faucet means thousands of dollars wasted on water bills.
Fortunately, the city of Santa Maria Utilities Department is offering free water audits to residents in an effort to reduce water waste.
“It’s important because water is valuable,” said City Utilities Director Rick Sweet. “Residential homes use state water that comes all the way from Northern California.”
Santa Maria uses more state water than is supplied, Sweet explained, so the water supply is supplemented with well water, which is not as soft as its imported counterpart.
In a free water audit, a water conservation specialist can evaluate home fixtures and pinpoint opportunities to reduce waste, both indoors and outdoors. This allows Santa Maria residents to get the best use out of their water while saving money.
Through a one or two hour audit, the water conservation specialist can calculate a home’s monthly water use and identify ways to reduce waste, which could decrease an individual’s water bill by as much as 30 percent.
These audits describe and identify the different types of plumbing in the home and match them with the most water efficient low-flow devices available.
Beyond home plumbing, the audit will include money-saving information such as rebates, incentive programs, and water conservation strategies.
It wouldn’t be a party without a goodie bag, and with every audit the Utilities Department of Santa Maria will provide a water conservation kit for home use.
Each kit includes, as supplies are available, a low-flow showerhead, bathroom faucet aerators, a kitchen swivel, a fill cycle diverter, leak detection tablets, and a flow meter bag.
Sweet has one piece of advice for homeowners looking to reduce their water usage: “Proper irrigation is important. It’s a third of a home’s total water use, so you want to look and modify that for a total effect.”
For more information about scheduling a water audit, contact the utilities department at 925-0951, Ext. 7235.
Intern Malory Ensor compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send comments or ideas to the Sun via e-mail at intern@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jul 28 – Aug 4, 2011.