When weather is hot, we can all appreciate water more.

We need it to drink, to keep our lawns and plants alive and enjoy it in recreational activities like swimming and boating.  Water is our most precious resource.  

The wonderful thing about Earth is it has a natural system set up to clean and recycle water for our use. In the water cycle, water evaporates from Earth’s surface, becomes droplets and forms clouds. Eventually, these clouds get dense and heavy with the droplets, and rain is created to carry recycled water to Earth’s surface again. It is a marvelous mechanism for cleaning and filtering water and recycling it.  

Unfortunately, we have so many people using water, this natural replenishing system can’t keep up with the demand.   

Water conservation is the most cost-effective and environmentally sound way to reduce demand for water. Using less water puts less pressure on our sewage-treatment facilities and uses less energy for water heating.

So what can we do to help conserve water?  Surprisingly, small changes in our daily routines can produce big results over time. There are many effective ways to conserve water in and around our homes.  Here are some fantastic ideas provided by the Georgia Recycling Coalition and Conserve Water Georgia (The savings mentioned below are based on a family of two adults and one child):  

1. Water your lawn only when it needs it. Step on your grass; if it springs back when you lift your foot, it doesn’t need water. So set your sprinklers for more days in between watering and save 750-1,500 gallons per month. Better yet — especially in times of drought — water with a hose or soaker hoses. And best of all, plant your landscape with native plants.

2. Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. Saves 20 gallons per day for every leak stopped.

3. Don’t run the hose while washing your car. Use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse at the end. That saves 150 gallons each time. For a two-car family, that’s about 1,200 gallons a month.  Also, wash your car on grass, not pavement.

4. Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors. Saves 500-800 gallons per month.

5. Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Saves 300-800 gallons per month.

6. Shorten your showers. Even a one or two minute reduction can save up to 700 gallons per month.

7. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks. Saves 150 gallons or more each time. At once a week, that’s more than 600 gallons a month.

8. Don’t use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Saves 400-600 gallons per month.

9. Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on house plants or your garden. Saves 200-300 gallons per month.

10. Don’t water the sidewalks, driveway or gutter. Adjust your sprinklers or irrigation system so that water lands on your lawn or garden where it belongs — and only there. Saves 500 gallons per month.

Incorporating these little changes in your family’s routines can have huge results.

Upcoming KLB Events

Progress Through People luncheon — Keep Liberty Beautiful is sponsoring the luncheon at noon Thursday in the CenturyLink 50 x 50 Building on Patriots Trail. The speaker will be Clay Mobley, coastal director for the Georgia Conservancy. Tickets are $15 for Liberty County Chamber of Commerce members and $20 for others. To make a reservation, call 368-4445 or email ryan@libertycounty.org.

Win-dex Awards — Nominations for this quarter’s Win-dex Business Recognition Awards are being accepted through June 30.  This quarterly awards program is our way of recognizing attractive businesses in our community.  Nomination forms are available by calling 880-4888 or 368-4445 or emailing klcb@coastalnow.net or ryan@libertycounty.org.