What are the health benefits of water? We are made up of somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 percent water. Water transports nutrients, rids us of waste, and keeps our joints fluid. We should drink at least eight glasses of water a day for health and proportionately more when we lose moisture through perspiration.

Our need for water increases as we age. Water is great for your skin, necessary for kidney function, and can even help control weight. When you think of the cost, it is even good for our financial health.

Taking Flight
It has been suggested that drinking plenty of water on long flights will help prevent some of the feelings people associate with jet lag. These feelings actually result from dehydration caused by a dry cabin environment. Staying hydrated in the air also is said to minimize your susceptibility to the all-too-common respiratory infections associated with air travel. All this assumes that the water is free of harmful contamination.

One thing is certain: you won't last long without water.

Do shut off the water to your washing machine when not in use. Many hoses rot through, causing cellar floods and high water/sewer bills. Check your hoses periodically and replace them if need be. We have seen the damage first hand and prevention is the key. You are not immune to having 5 feet of water in your cellar!

Do insulate your hot water heater and pipes. This will prevent you from having to run your water for long periods of time to get it hot.

Do turn your hot water heater down. Most can be left at a setting of 140° and still provide plenty of hot water.

Do fix any leaky toilets or dripping faucets as soon as possible. Hundreds of gallons can be wasted in a matter of days.

Do not turn you heat way back, when leaving your house for long periods of time in the winter. Your pipes may freeze and burst.

Do not water your lawn during the day. The majority of water is lost to evaporation and wind.

Do not drink water from a garden hose. The vinyl coating is made with chemicals that can get into the water as it flows through.

Do not submerge a garden hose in buckets, pools, tubs or sinks and never attach chemical sprayers, without a backflow device. A water main break or fire hydrant use, can cause a vacuum sucking toxic chemical into your house plumbing.

Summer Water Use: Sunny Vs. Rainy Day
The following chart illustrates how much water is used outdoors during the summer months. June 17, 1996 was a sunny hot day. On that day 1,088,384 gallons were pumped, while 1,208,384 gallons were consumed. June 21, 1996 was a rainy day, in which .2 inches of rain fell. On that day 701,800 gallons were pumped, while 684,211 gallons were consumed. The difference in water consumption on a sunny day vs. a rainy day, is over half a million gallons!

The summer time demand for water, can put an enormous strain on the water system. If you must use water outdoors, please use it wisely, following our conservation tips. Your help in being water wise, will enable us to ensure both water quantity and water quality for years to come!

Thanks for your participation in water conservation activities.