MILTON DPW PROMOTES WATER CONSERVATIOIN
One of the many pleasant things about summer in our community is the profusion of green lawns and garden flowers. A byproduct of this beauty, though, is that summer residential water use often skyrockets.
To remind residents about the importance of water conservation, the Milton DPW will be sending out an “Outdoor Water Conservation” brochure written by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). It will be included in the July, August, and September water/sewing bill mailing, and will explain ways to use water more efficiently outdoors, and hopefully save money on water bills.
For residents interested in tracking the Town’s water usage, the MWRA posts this information at http://www.mwra.com/monthly/wsupdat/comwatuse.pdf. The site presents water usage data for this year (so far) and the previous year for all communities that derive their water from the MWRA system. On average, in calendar year 2006 Milton used about 2.5 million gallons each day (mgd).
Not only is usage important for environmental reasons, but the Town’s yearly assessment by the MWRA is derived from the percentage of flow used by a community. The greater the flow share, the greater percentage of the MWRA budget a community pays.
The brochure that the DPW is including in the water/sewer mailings concentrates on outdoor water conservation tips about water efficiency. Here are some tips for water conservation inside the home:
Never use your toilet as a wastebasket (saves 3-7 gallons per flush);
Fill your sink when washing and rinsing dishes (saves 8-15 gallons per day);
Run you dishwasher only when full (saves up to 15 gallons per load);
Run your garbage disposal only when necessary (saves 2-7 gallons per minute);
Run the washing machine only when full (washing machines use 22-25 gallons per load);
Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving (saves 4-10 gallons a day).
Each step a resident makes to conserve water can help lower Milton’s overall water usage. The DPW hopes all residents will try their best to conserve water during this warm weather season.
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