Water Conservation Guide - United Water

IN PARTICIPATION WITH
Tips for families to help
conserve water
in and around your home
A PUBLIC SERVICE OF UNITED WATER NEW JERSEY

TIPS FOR
GREEN LIVING
YOU CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE
We all share the Earth and the responsibility to protect it. Now, it’s easier than ever to
meet that responsibility with exciting conservation products offered by United Water and
its “living green” partner, AM Conservation. The products include year-round indoor and
outdoor water-saving kits and an automatic leak detection device for toilets.
Protect the environment
while saving money –
conserve today!
Look for the WaterSense label
to choose quality, waterefficient
products. The label
means the product meets
the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s
specifications for performance. United Water is a partner
in the EPA WaterSense program that makes it easy for
Americans to save water and protect the environment.
For more information please visit the U.S. EPA
website at epa.gov/watersense.
2

DEAR CUSTOMER:
unitedwater.com/uwnj
Do you want to get paid and make the world a
better place? That’s essentially what you’re doing
when you save water. By reducing your water use,
you not only lower your monthly water bill, but
you reduce the energy needed to treat and distribute
water and to remove and treat wastewater.
Saving water is easier than you think. On the pages that follow
you will find high quality, easy-to-install conservation products,
programs, and tips that can help you save water, energy and
money inside and outside the house. Please join us in our efforts
to make the planet sustainable by making conservation choices
that work best for your lifestyle.
Sincerely,
Jim Glozzy, Vice President & General Manager
CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMATION
69 Devoe Place
Hackensack, NJ 07601
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
PHONE: 800-422-5987
EMERGENCIES:
201-487-0011
E-MAIL:
customer.service
@unitedwater.com
PAYMENT OPTIONS
There are several ways
to pay your bill:
■ By mail
■ By phone
■ Electronically
■ On line
THERE ARE MANY
WAYS TO REACH US:
facebook.com/unitedwater
twitter.com/unitedwater
youtube.com/unitedwatertv
flickr.com/unitedwater
■ In person
blog.unitedwater.com
3

OUTDOOR KIT
$8.50
■ Deluxe Seven Spray
Hose Nozzle
■ Hose Sprinkler Timer
■ Hose Repair Kits
■ Soil Moisture Sensor
STANDARD KIT
$6.50
RETAIL
VALUE
$32.00
■ Rain Gauge
RETAIL
VALUE
$42.00
DELUXE KIT
$15.50
RETAIL
VALUE
$68.00
■ Spoiler Showerhead
■ Deluxe Dual Spray
Swivel Aerator
■ Standard Faucet Aerator
■ Toilet Tummy
■ Leak Tablets
■ Stop-in-Time Shower Timer
■ Spoiler Showerhead
■ Spoiler Handheld Showerhead
■ Deluxe Dual Spray Swivel Aerator
■ Standard Faucet Aerator
■ Toilet Tummy
■ Leak Tablets
■ Stop-in-Time Shower Timer
■ Tape
SAVE WATER &
PURCHASE A WATER SAVING KIT
LEAKALERTOR TM
$17.95 INCLUDES S/H
STANDARD KIT
$11.50 INCLUDES S/H
OUTDOOR KIT
$13.50 INCLUDES S/H
DELUXE KIT
$20.50 INCLUDES S/H
QTY
QTY
QTY
QTY
TOTAL ENCLOSED
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY STATE ZIP
4
Please make check payable to: AM CONSERVATION GROUP, Inc.
THIS OFFER IS AVAILABLE TO UNITED WATER CUSTOMERS ONLY

LEAKALERTOR TM
$14.95
■ Works on any toilet
■ Installs in seconds, no tools required
■ Fully automatic, no set up necessary
■ Visual and audible alerts
■ Small, sleek design
■ Automatically resets
once leak is fixed
RETAIL
VALUE
$21.95
MONEY
ORDER FORM
ON THE WEB
www.uwconserve.com
BY MAIL
Complete and return
this coupon to:
AM Conservation
2301 Charleston Regional Pkwy
Charleston, SC 29492
800-777-5655
5

3
TIPS & FUN ACT
2
TIPS FOR KIDS TO HELP CONSERVE WATER
1
Who Needs a Hose?
Washing your bike or car with
a bucket and sponge instead of
a hose saves a lot of water.
4
Do you know how much water
a family of four uses every
day in the United States? Not
50 GALLONS, not 100 GALLONS,
but 400 GALLONS! You could
take up to 10 BATHS with that
much water – but who would want to
do that? Fortunately, there are
many things we can do to save.
2
Fix That Leak
Test for toilet leaks by placing
a drop of food coloring in the
toilet tank. If the color shows
up in the bowl without flushing,
you have a leak!
3
Shower Power
Taking a shower uses much
less water than filling up a
bathtub. A shower only uses
10 to 25 gallons, while a bath
takes up to 70 gallons!
4
Turn Off the Tap
Just by turning off the tap while
you brush your teeth in the
morning and before bedtime,
you can save up to 8 gallons
of water! That adds up to
more than 200 gallons a month,
enough to fill a huge fish tank
that holds 6 small sharks!
1
If your parents use a car wash,
ask them to check if a car
wash near you recycles water.
6

IVITIES for CHILDREN and PARENTS
FUN WAYS TO LEARN ABOUT WATER
Hello, my name is Thirstin. I am here to talk
about protecting and conserving Drinking Water.
Here are some fun activities to help you learn about water.
Thirstin’s
Learn how to
build your own
water cycle with
everyday items.
1
Thirstin’s Water
Cycle Activity
3
2
t a w e r
All living things need ________________________ to live.
d l o c u
When water evaporates, it travels into the air and becomes part of a _______________.
s e f r h
Less than 1% of all the water on the earth is ________________________ water.
We ________________________ water in the liquid form.
i k r d n
a l l o g n s
Check for leaks and save hundreds of ________________________ of water a day.
h o w s e r
You’ll save water by taking a quick ________________________.
m f a i y l
k e c b u t
Wash bikes and cars with a ____________________ and sponge instead of a running hose.
Ask your ________________ to look for ways to save water.
The ‘Thirstin’ character has been reproduced with the permission of the
EPA, Office of Ground Water & Drinking Water.
5
You will need:
4
1. large, clean jar with lid
2. plants
3. bottle cap of water
4. soil
5. sand
6. small rocks or gravel
6
Directions:
1.
Scan this tag to download
“Thirstin’s Wacky Water Adventure”
Activity Book. It’s
L-O-A-D-E-D with
fun and games.
Or go online to:
http://www.unitedwater.com/uploa
dedFiles/Corporate_Content/30/
Thirstin-wacky_water_adventure.pdf
Fill jar in layers, as shown
in the picture above,
and put the lid on.
2.
Put the jar in a sunny place,
such as a window sill, and
watch over time to see
how the water cycle works
to help plants grow.
Go to your favorite app store to
download an app to read these QR codes.
More fun and games can be
found on the EPA WaterSense
for Kids website.
Scan
the tag to
learn more:
Or go online to:
http://www.epa.gov/
watersense/kids/index.html
The “Thirstin” character is a product of the EPA Drinking Water Program (Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water) and has been reproduced with their permission.
7

WATER WISELY
■ Water your lawn or garden
during the cool morning hours
to reduce evaporation.
■ Look for sprinklers that produce
droplets, not mist. You can also use
soaker hoses or trickle irrigation.
■ Be sure your hose has a shut-off
nozzle. A hose without a nozzle can
spout 10 gallons or more a minute.
■ Don’t over fertilize because that
increases the need for water.
■ Raise your lawn mower blade to
at least 3 inches. Taller grass holds
soil moisture better than a closely
cropped lawn.
coreopsis lavender marigold cosmos sea holly
XERISCAPING TM IS A CONCEPTUAL FORM OF GARDENING
THAT USES DROUGHT-TOLERANT PLANTS AND GRASSES TO
BEAUTIFY A HOME OR BUSINESS. XERISCAPING MAY BECOME
THE METHOD ALL FUTURE GARDENERS WILL USE TO DEVELOP
THEIR GARDENS AS WATER BECOMES AN INCREASINGLY
PRECIOUS ASSET TO THE WORLD.
Choosing xeriscaping plants
Choose plants that are native
to your particular region such as
wildflowers, native shrubs and trees.
Drought-tolerant plants also use
much less water.
Choose plants that are compatible
with the type of exposure they will
receive. For instance, if you have trees
overhead, choose plants that tolerate
shade. If your yard has full sun, choose
plants that can tolerate full sun.
Designing the
xeriscape landscape
In any well-designed xeriscape,
plants should be grouped
according to their specific water
requirements. Grouping plants
with similar watering needs
allows them to be watered on an
as-needed basis with less water
waste. By planting high-water-use
plants separate from low-wateruse
plants you can regulate watering
needs more easily.
Soil for xeriscaping
Soil amended with compost
retains water better, drains easier,
and provides additional nutrients.
Healthy soils promote vigorous plants
that are more able to withstand
drought or disease by enticing them
to set deeper roots.
8
The name Xeriscape is a registered trademark of Denver Water.

SAMPLE PLANTS
FOR NEW JERSEY
lantana yarrow zinnia
Ground Covers
Candytuft
Goldmoss Sedum
Lamb’s Ear
Periwinkle
Silver Mound Artemisia
Stonecrop
When to water
the garden
The best time to water plants is
in the early morning. This will allow
water to run down into the soil
and reach the roots without excess
water lost to evaporation.
What is the best
natural mulch?
Natural mulch traps moisture in
the soil, so you don’t have to water
as often. It suppresses weeds,
so you don’t have to weed as often!
There are a number of natural
mulches; bark mulch, hardwood
bark mulch, pine straw, old hay.
Irrigate
Soaker hoses and drip-irrigation
systems offer the easiest and most
efficient watering because they
deliver water directly to the base
of the plant. They also deliver the
water at a slow rate which encourages
root absorption and reduces pooling
and erosion. In general, it's best to
water deeply and less frequently.
Maintain your landscape
Keeping the weeds from growing up
through the mulch may require some
attention. Thickening the layer of
mulch will help. Turf areas should
not be cut too short – taller grass is
a natural mulch which shades the
roots and helps retain moisture.
Shrubs & Trees
Adam’s Needle
Blue Carpet Juniper
Blue Maid Holly
Bluebeard
Golden Dust Plant
Golden Sword Yucca
Hollywood Juniper
Korean Spice Viburnum
Northern Bayberry
Winter King Hawthorn
Perennials
Autumn Joy Sedum
Black-eyed Susan
Coral Bells
Coreopsis
Lavender
Michaelmas Daisy
Montauk Daisy
Purple Coneflower
Purple Verbena
Sea Holly
Tickseed
Woody Yarrow
Yarrow
Annuals
Cosmos
Lantana
Marigold
Zinnia
EISELE’S
NURSERY AND
GARDEN CENTER
10 % off with this coupon
232 Oradell Avenue, Paramus, NJ • 201-262-1015
Visit us for all your planting and
conservation gardening needs.
when you buy five or
more plants.
For a complete listing and
images of plants in your area:
VISIT unitedwater.com/
newjersey/xeriscape.aspx
OR SCAN THE TAG
Go to your favorite app store
to download an app to read
this QR code. Then scan this
tag to be instantly linked.
9

There are many ways
you can help to conserve
water in every room
of your house!
1
10
Wash fruits and
vegetables in a pot
filled with water
instead of washing
under a running tap,
then reuse it to
water houseplants.
TIPS
TO HELP SAVE WATER
INSIDE THE HOUSE, AND
THEY ALL START WITH YOU.
10

3
5
When using washing
machine or dishwasher,
make sure it is fully
loaded. It is preferable
to use front-loading
washing machines.
Close water
tap while
brushing your
teeth, shaving,
or washing
your face.
Washing dark clothes
in cold water saves
both on water and
energy while it
helps your clothes
to keep their
colors.
6
7
Put food coloring inside
the toilet tank. If colored
water appears in the
bowl without flushing,
this is an indication of
the presence of leaks.
By fixing these leaks,
you would save up to
1,000 gallons per month.
Instead of melting frozen
foods through the running
tap, just keep it in the
refrigerator for both the
safety of food as well as
for saving water.
8
If you shorten your
showering time by a minute
or two, you will save up to
150 gallons per month.
4
9
For cold drinks, keep
a pitcher of water in the
refrigerator instead of
running the tap. This way,
every drop goes down
you and not the drain.
Soak pots and
pans instead of
letting the water
run while you
scrape them clean.
Share these water
conservation tips
with your friends
and neighbors.
11

FIND TODAY’S ET NUMBER
ET
NUMBER
MINUTES OF
WATERING
YOUR LAWN MAY ACCOUNT FOR
NEARLY 50 PERCENT OF YOUR
SUMMER WATER USAGE. NOW
YOU CAN KEEP IT GREEN WHILE
SAVING WATER AND MONEY. OUR
ET PROGRAM TAKES THE GUESS-
WORK OUT OF LAWN WATERING.
■
The ET number indicates the number
of inches of water your lawn needs.
With ET you typically need to water
your lawn every four days.
0.00” 0
0.25” 15
0.50” 30
0.75” 45
1.00” 60
1.25” 75
SCAN THE TAG
Go to your favorite app store
to download an app to read
this QR code. Then scan
this tag to be instantly
linked to today’s ET number.
ON THE WEB
unitedwater.com/ET
BY PHONE
ET Hotline 800-664-4552 ext. 3001
after 8 a.m.
1.50” 90
1.75” 105
2.00” 120