The Heat Is On: Pennsylvania American Water Offers 10 Tips to Conserve Water

HERSHEY, Pa., July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- As the commonwealth swelters in the latest heat wave, Pennsylvania American Water today recommended water usage tips to help residents get the most out of every drop.

"We always urge customers to use water wisely, but this message becomes even more important when extremely high temperatures, increased demand and the lack of rainfall put added stress on water supplies," said Daniel J. Hufton, senior director of production for Pennsylvania American Water.

The company offered the following 10 tips to help consumers reduce the environmental impact of water consumption both indoors and outside the home:

1. Water your lawn only when it needs it. An easy test to tell if your lawn needs water is to simply walk across the grass. If you leave footprints, it's time to water. (An added benefit of watering less often is that fewer, deep-soaking waterings encourage deep root growth and stronger turf.)
2. Water in the early morning. As much as 30 percent of water can be lost to evaporation by watering during midday.
3. Set your lawn mower one notch higher to make your lawn more drought-tolerant.
4. Use drip irrigation hoses to water plants, and water in the early morning or evening.
5. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk, driveway, or patio.
6. Forego the hose and wash your car with a bucket and sponge instead. According to EPA WaterSense, a hose left running can waste as much as six gallons per minute while a bucket and sponge uses only a few gallons to do the job.
7. Keep a bottle of cold tap water in the refrigerator. You'll avoid the cost and environmental impact of bottled water and you'll have cold water available in the summer without running the faucet.
8. Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are full. If you have a water-saver cycle, use it.
9. Adjust the water level of your clothes washer, so that it matches your load size.
10. Regularly check your toilet, faucets and pipes for leaks and have them fixed promptly. An easy test for toilet leaks from EPA WaterSense: Place a drop of food coloring in the tank. If the color tints the water in the bowl without flushing, there's a leak. Pennsylvania American Water also recommends checking your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have a leak. Leak detection kits are available by calling the company's customer service center, or by visiting the Learning Center at www.amwater.com for a downloadable pdf version.

Pennsylvania American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.2 million people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company.  With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states, as well as Ontario and Manitoba, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

SOURCE Pennsylvania American Water