Water Conservation

WATER SYSTEM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND WATER CONSERVATIONThe Village’s water system provides safe drinking water to homes and businesses as well as supplying water for fire protection services. While the current water system is safe, more than 50% of the water mains are over 100 years old. With the advanced age of the watermains, there is an increased risk that watermains breaks will become more frequent and more severe. To ensure continued safe and efficient delivery of water, a rate adjustment of $2.16/$1,000 gallons was approved by the Village Board.

The total annual financing provided with the rate adjustment will allow the Village to issue General Obligation Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source Bonds) to finance the MTU replacement project. The additional funds will also provide the Village with the ability to finance a low-rate IEPA interest loan to fund water main replacements in the first three years of the capital plan.

water_conservation_graphic-6fe3a31dWater Conservation Tips:For the Kitchen:

  • Keep drinking water cold in the refrigerator. This way, every drop is used by you instead of running down the drain, which saves 200-300 gallons per month.
  • Use your garbage disposal sparingly. It takes roughly 2 gallons per minute to flush waste down a garbage disposal.
  • When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and rinse dishes with a spray device or short blasts instead of letting the water run. Then use the dirty water to run the disposal if neces­sary. Saves 200-500 gallons/month. 
  • Run only full loads in the dishwasher. Purchase dishwashers with energy saving options. The average / dishwasher uses 6 gallons per cycle and the average Energy Star™ dishwasher uses 4 gallons. Saves 75-200 gallons per week.
For Laundry: 

  • Run only full loads in the washing machine or adjust the amount of water used according to the load me. Saves 75 -200 gallons per week.
For the Washroom: 

  • Replace your showerhead. Low-flow shower- heads save an average of 2.5 gallons per minute.
  • Take a shower instead of a bath. The average bath takes 30-50 gallons of water. The average 4-8 / minute shower with a low-flow showerhead uses 10-20 gallons of water.
  • Don’t let it flow! Turn off the water while brush- ing your teeth, washing your face, or shaving. This can save an average of 3 gallons per day.
  • Check for toilet leaks. Remove cover of toilet tank, remove any “in-tank” bowl cleaners that color the water, and begin your test with clear water in the tank and bowl. Add food coloring to tank but do not flush. Wait 30 minutes. If color appears in the bowl, this shows that your toilet is leaking. Leaks can waste 200 gallons or more per day (6,000+ gallons per month).
Planting and Watering: 

  • Think small. Small, young plants require less water to establish.
  • Planting time. Plant in the spring or fall to take advantage of cooler temperatures, to minimize stress on plants and to reduce watering requirements.
  • Install a Moisture Sensor. Moisture sensors turn off your irrigation system during rain, and monitor the soil to determine when and how much water your grass needs. If you don’t have a sensor, you can test soil moisture with your finger or irrigate when plants show signs of wilting.
  • Water deeply and infrequently. Promote deep root growth for a more drought- and disease-resistant lawn.
  • Keep it cool. Water your lawn or garden early in the morning, when the sun’s rays are not as hot. This helps to prevent evaporation and allow water to soak into your soil. Use sprinklers that emit droplets, rather than a fine mist. 
  • Capture and recycle rainwater. Use a rain barrel to collect rainwater for irrigation of gardens, lawns, shrubs and trees.  
  • Sidewalks don’t need water. Adjust sprinklers to water only lawn and garden areas – not sidewalks, patios, or driveways. On slopes or on dry, compacted, soils, stop watering when runoff occurs. Allow moisture to soak into the soil before restarting. Saves an average of 500 gallons per month.
  • During a drought, lawns go dormant. With the exception of bluegrass, lawns will go dormant and then recover when rainfall returns! Prioritizing which plants really need water will save time, money and water.
Environmental Protection Agency – Water Conservation Tips