Burbank's mayor wants you to conserve water
From the mouth of Burbank City Hall to your eyes...
Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos is asking residents to take simple measures to save water.“Water is our most precious resource and this year has seen the lowest recorded rainfall in Burbank in over one hundred years. It’s time for all of us to pitch in and make every drop count,” said Ms. Ramos.
This call for water conservation challenges every Burbank citizen to reduce their water use by 20 gallons daily. That amount may seem like a tremendous goal, but in reality it can be readily achieved by taking the following actions inside and outside homes:
Water Saving Action Estimated Water Savings Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks
20 gallons per minuteUse a self-closing nozzle for your hose instead of leaving the hose running when washing your car
20 gallons per minuteTurn off water when brushing teeth 2 gallons per minute Fix leaky toilet 30 – 50 gallons per day Replace older, inefficient clothes washers with Energy Star™ models (and get a cash rebate from Burbank Water and Power!)
20 – 30 gallons per loadTake a shorter shower 2.5 gallons per minute Run the dishwasher only when full 2 – 4.5 gallons per load Wash only full loads of clothes 15 – 50 gallons per load Don’t over-water your lawn and plants! 15 – 25 gallons per minute Water landscape only before 6 AM and after 8 PM to reduce water lost to evaporation
20 – 25 gallons per dayAdjust sprinklers to prevent overspray and runoff 15 – 25 gallons per day Add 2” to 3” of mulch around trees and plants to reduce evaporation 20 – 30 gallons per day per 1,000 square feet Average rainfall in Southern California is nearly 15 inches per year, but the rainfall for the 12 month period that ended June 30, 2007 just barely topped three inches, making this the driest year on record for our region.
This year, the City of Burbank foresees no need for drought condition measures, such as water rationing. However, another year of limited rainfall here coupled with reduced snow pack levels in the Northwest could trigger a need next year for measures beyond a voluntary call for conservation. For this reason, Mayor Ramos is urging residents to take action today to help ensure that a sufficient amount of water can be stored to meet our needs for next year.
For dozens more water-saving tips, information about cash rebates available from Burbank Water and Power for energy- and water-efficient appliances, and a link to a watering calculator that will direct you to the correct amount of irrigation needed for your lawn and plants (most of us over-water by 50%!), please visit www.BurbankWaterandPower.com. And, please remember to make every drop count!