With the holiday season upon us, the Southwest Florida Water Management District is asking residents to make water conservation a new tradition.
“This holiday season it is especially important to conserve water because the District is still experiencing impacts from two years of drought and we are now in the dry season,” said Robyn Felix, the District’s media relations manager. “We can all make a difference by incorporating a few simple tips into our routines.”
During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the clean-up process. Appliances and fixtures such as dishwashers, clothes washers, showers and toilets are also used more often.
However, there are ways to save water while celebrating the holidays without compromising convenience and comfort. Here are six easy ways to incorporate water conservation into your holiday preparations and celebrations:
- Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or the microwave instead of running hot water over them.
- Rinse vegetables and fruits in a sink or pan filled with water instead of under running water. This water can then be reused to water houseplants. A running faucet can use up to 3 gallons per minute.
- When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink one-third to one-half full. Avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.
- Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.
- Scrape food scraps into the garbage can or a composting bin, rather than rinsing them into the sink’s garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 3 gallons of water per minute.
- Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load. Dishwashers use between 7 and 12 gallons per load.
For more water conservation tips, information about the drought and the current water restrictions, please visit the District’s web site atWaterMatters.org/drought.