Help Preserve Every Drop by Adopting these Tips for Outdoor Water Conservation
In DuPage County, the average person uses 106 gallons of water each day. Approximately 31% of this water is used for outdoor purposes. For more information, check out our Outdoor Water Use Pamphlet.
Small steps in outdoor water use can save a lot of water
Efficient water use can cut down on water waste and still provide water for plants and turf. Outdoor water efficiency is especially important during the hot summer months when as much as 50% of home water consumption is for watering lawns and gardens.
- A typical Illinois lawn needs about 1- 1 ½ inches of water each week, including rain according to www.gardenillinois.com.
- In Illinois, cool season grasses can go dormant during hot, dry weather without watering and recover when growing conditions improve in the late summer or early autumn.
- Overwatering causes runoff, wastes water, and carries fertilizers and other chemicals into the sewer system.
- Rain gauges are devices designed to measure how much rain was received at a specific location over a designated period of time. Rain gauges are easy to use and can act as an accurate way to measure how much water plants are getting over time. Use your rain gauge to monitor how much rain was received at your house. Keep track of weekly rainfall totals to determine whether your lawn needs additional water. To learn how to make your own rain gauge click here.
- A rain barrel is a water tank which is used to collect and store rainwater runoff, typically from rooftops. Instead of running down driveways and sidewalks to sewers, rainwater falls into a rain barrel where it can be stored for use in gardens and for house plants. They are a simple, efficient, low-cost method for homeowners to conserve water. For more information see The Conservation Foundation’s Rain Barrel Brochure.
For more information on lawn care and rain gauges see our Rain Gauge and Landscape Watering Pamphlet.
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Average Indoor and Outdoor Water Use in a Non-Conserving Home
80 – 90% of the outdoor component of residential water use goes to lawn care.