As part of its Be Smart and Green, Save 15 water conservation campaign, the Port Washington Water District (PWWD) is rolling out an assessment program to help its customers identify areas of improvement and achieve greater water savings. The program is the result of a districtwide initiative to better understand how much water the average household in Port Washington is consuming—and more importantly—wasting.
“As part of our water conservation efforts, we wanted to have a better understanding of where greater water efficiencies could be achieved,” said David Brackett, chairman for PWWD’s Board of Commissioners. “Our analysis concluded that many of our customers likely have unknown leaks or have irrigation systems that are not performing as well as they should. Through this program, participating homeowners will have the ability to not only save water and protect our aquifer, but also have the potential to significantly reduce their water bills.”
Irrigation systems are the largest user of water around the home, and if there are leaks or other inefficiencies, water consumption can quickly escalate to a significant level. Leaks from other water-using devices around the household can also greatly contribute to elevated water usage. For example, a leaky toilet (one that runs constantly) can waste more than 20,000 gallons of water every month and can quickly increase a customers’ water bill and bring their rates into higher tiers.
“Given the environmentally conscious nature of the Port Washington community, we are hopeful residents will take advantage of this free program and take the necessary steps to join our movement to preserve our only water source,” said PWWD commissioner Mindy Germain. “Every leak that is stopped and every effort to save a couple of gallons of water here and there adds up to a significant amount at the end of the billing cycle. Multiply that by every household and business in the area and we can have a real impact on preserving our aquifer and ensuring our community’s water supply is never in danger of saltwater contamination.
Homeowners, business owners and customers of PWWD interested in a free-of-charge water assessment can contact the district by calling 516-767-0171 or emailing a request to info@pwwd.org. If interested in learning more about other ways to save water this summer, visit www.pwwd.org.
“What is most important about this initiative is the awareness we hope to create about the substantial amount of water loss that can be caused by a common household leak,” said PWWD commissioner Peter Meyer. “But the water district is here to help and would love nothing more than to bring the community together around a cause that benefits everyone and further protects our precious natural resource.”
