Water Conservation

Kern County residents can do much to conserve water in their homes.

Here are some easy conservation tips:

Indoors

• Turn off water when brushing your teeth.
• Don’t use the toilet as a trash can.
• Install a low-flow showerhead, then take only 5-minute showers or 3-inch baths.
• Replace your toilet with a water saving ultra-low flush model. This can save up to 14,000 gallons of water per year!
• Fix all leaky toilets, faucets and pipes.
• Flush toilets and use garbage disposals only when necessary.
• Turn off the water when shaving and lathering in the shower.
• Run only full loads in dishwashers and washing machines.
• Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigera tor instead of running it at the tap until it cools.
• Use a brush and a bowl full of water, instead of running water over fruits and vegetables.
•  If buying a new washing machine, buy a front loading washer; these use 1/3 less water than top loaders.

Outdoors

• Don’t over water garden plants and the lawn. Deep soak garden once weekly rather than sprinkle lightly several times a week.
• Water evening or morning to prevent rapid evaporation during heat of day.
• Plant drought-resistant plants in the yard.
• When you wash your car…use a bucket of water.
• Use a nozzle on your hose which can be shut off or adjusted to a fine spray.
• Use a broom or rake rather than a hose to remove leaves and debris from driveway, walk, patio, and pool decks.
• Cover swimming pool to slow down evaporation of water from it.
• Use a car wash which recycles water, or wash car at home.
• Wash your car with bucket, sponge, and a hose with a shut-off valve.
• Target water to plants that show signs of moisture stress. Plants will turn a gray-green color or wilt when they need water.
• Water the root zone of the plant instead of the foliage. This saves water and reduces diseases..
• Water deeply. Light, frequent watering causes shallow rooting and increases the need for water.
• Use drip irrigation and micro-sprays when possible. They use 30 to 50 percent less water than sprinklers.
• In-ground system users should have a regular system audit performed by a professional who will inspect for leaks and other problems and recommend new water-saving equipment. Rain sensors, soil moisture sensors, evapotranspiration controllers and new efficient ro tors and spray heads are examples of new technologies.

Put the “right” plants in the “right” places

• Select plants carefully. Read the plant tag, it tells you the amount of sunlight and water the plants needs as well as the recommended soil conditions.
• Plants that require partial shade do best on eastern exposures where they are shaded from the hot afternoon sun.Consider the slope and drainage patterns of the site. Plant moisture-loving plants at the base of slopes where they can take advantage of natural drainage.
• Group plants in the landscape according to their water need: high, medium or low. This will result in more efficient irrigation.

Useful links

• Calculate your water footprint
• Home landscaping tips in this article from the Kern County-UC Cooperative Extension office
• Hundreds of water saving tips at Save Our Water
• Sunset Magazine’s plant finder, a guide for gardeners who want to be water efficient
• 100 ways to conserve – a website dedicated to water conservation
• Conserving Water on a Road Trip
• Gardening and Water Conservation
• Cal Water Conservation

Agriculture Water Conservation

Kern County farmers, like others in California, use efficient and conservation-focused irrigation practices whenever possible. Because farm water is a high cost for farmers, they utilize every drop of water so that none is wasted.

Some of the ways farmers conserve water is to use drip and micro-sprinkler irrigation systems which concentrate water directly where it is needed for the crop. Crop land is also laser-leveled so that there are no low spots in the field where water can puddle. Many irrigation systems are also au tomated so that a precise amount of water is applied, and increasingly, farmers are installing solar equipment to power irrigation systems.