Can you imagine going a day without water? No water to drink, for making coffee, taking showers and washing dishes and clothes. . . . No water. For one day.
Just the thought of not having water when you need it highlights just how indispensable this natural resource is to daily life. That’s the salient point of Imagine a Day Without Water, a national campaign that was observed on Oct. 20. Imagine a Day Without Water emphasized the value of water and asked Americans to conserve it.
As a supporter of Imagine a Day Without Water, OUC encourages customers to keep water conservation top of mind every day. OUC also wants to remind customers that saving water is a lot easier to do with our help.
OUC offers residential water customers money-saving rebates on several home improvements that reduce water use, including Florida Friendly plants and low-volume irrigation (100% of cost, up to $200), EPA WaterSense© certified ultra-low flow toilets (100% of cost, up to $100), WaterSense©-labeled smart irrigation controller(100% of cost of controller and installation, up to $200), and a smart water monitor (100% of cost of device and installation, up to $100) that keeps track of water consumption and sends leak-detection alerts. Earning a Florida Water Star℠ Certification also qualifies for a rebate ($300 for single family homes, $100 per unit for multi-family homes). OUC also offers rebates to commercial customers, including for the installations of air-cooled ice machines ($125 per system) and water efficient urinals that use no more than 0.5 gallons per flush ($25 per urinal).
OUC offers FREE residential and commercial water and energy audits to help customers identify where they can make improvements to reduce their water and electrical usage, as well as their utility bills.
With our Efficiency Delivered® program, OUC Conservation Specialists will conduct a free home energy and water audit and make recommendations for reducing water and energy consumption. It also includes making minor plumbing and irrigation repairs. For households with annual incomes below $40,000, the program pays 85% of approved upgrades costing up to $2,500. Households with incomes between $40,001 and $60,000 may qualify for 50% cost sharing, while $60,000-plus households are eligible for rebates. Eligible cost-sharing customers can spread their payments, interest free, over 24 months on their OUC bills.
Here are some easy-to-do steps you can take for saving water:
Outdoors
- When washing your car with a hose, always use a spray nozzle to stop water flow between risings
- Clean driveways and sidewalks with a broom instead of a hose
- Check for leaks in outdoor faucets, pipes and hoses, repairing any leaks promptly
- Cover your pool or spa to reduce evaporation
- Check for pool/spa leaks and make repairs promptly
Indoors
- Repair leaking faucets and toilets
- Install water-saver flush valves in toilets
- Install water-saver shower heads
- Take short showers
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving
- Wash only full loads in dishwasher and clothes washer
- Recycle water rather than pouring it down the drain (For instance, used water from a fish tank is good for watering plants)
- Only flush toilet paper down the toilet
- Use the garbage disposal sparingly
- When you wash dishes by hand, fill up the sink with water and turn off the faucet
