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A26 -The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, August 2, 2005 c; ~~ , J -~Your Ha!ton * Leave Ufr lmn; tfUs sve$ 25% of your fendt&er requirements (savifl you water, t*ne and money>. * Water new plants untîd watt estatlshed and then onlas needed. " WaskMng your car: use a $fhlut-off nozzle so tfat water ontyflows as needed-,use a paîl of sSay water anmd tJien rmnse the car wtien finilhed; tum your hose off at the faucet instead of the nozzte to avoi lealc; mnd use iasber in hos connectors toi prevwn lek. " vermthe heaIh of the soilin ywu giuM by addbay oaatc meertat such as cost Dr mantare. Ogank materiat retans water and moderetes siti temperatures, whkb can batp your plants cope doho dry weather " Create a xeriscape, gardeii. Xertscaplng is landscaping v&t the goal of reducing wate usage. Xeniscaping miakes extensiv use of soit preparation and nwlch#ng as weil as the setecio of plants requirngess water * Use match around plants to retain moistwre. Match keeps soi cool and moist onre erosopand discourages weed gowth. Mulch can be organic, lice woodîcbips, or inorganic tike grave. Seet* e water use plants. plants with grayfuzzy, waxy or finely dMded teaves are'dmougttolerant. Maintaining Our Reservoir Levels Joyce Savoline REGIONAL CHAIRMAN Halton's facilities were designed to meet specific capacities, in accordance to the needs of our residents. This includes the Region's 21 water reservoirs that provide storage for meeting the drinking water demands of residents and fire protection requirements. The reservoirs are located throughout tbe Region both as underground tanks or elevated storage. By the time the water is boused in these tanks, it bas gone thiuugb an extensive purification process; Halton's plants can produce the equivalent of 880 million bottles of water each day! The amount of water that is treated and stored correlates both to demand and Halton's primary mandate of ensuring residents' safety and well-being. In this regard, Halton has set the target of maintaining appropriate reservoir levels which ensure adequate provision for fire protection. The recent bout of extremely bot weatber bas prompted the need for conscientious water conservation efforts due to increased demands on the system througb lawn Halton Region - Doing Our Part ~ A. Brent Marshall CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER Despîte tbe soaring temperatures and record sunsbine, wben you turn on tbe tap - water flows. Yotî don't need to tbink about it, because we do. We are constantly monitoring and maintaining tbe system to ensure tbat tbe supply of water meets tbe needs of our residents. However, in order to inaintain adequate reservoir levels, yotî can belp by being aware of water usage and following tbe Water Conservation Tips provîded on tbis page. Here are some of tbe programs we bave mn place tu belp conserve water as weatber forecasts continue to caîl for extended periods of bigb beat and sunsbine: " Raînwater that runs off tbe sloped roofs of our buildings at the Halton Waste Management Site and tbe water from our storm water retention ponds is collected in an area underground to be pumped out and reused to water trees, wash Regional vebicles and dlean garage floors. " An underground leak detection program ensures watermains aren't leaking and wasting water as it travels from our water purification plants to your homes. " We make sure we maximize and reduce our watering consumption by setting sprinkler systems on timers and running tbem during the early morning bours. " Mulcb is placed around the base of trees and across flowerbeds to help keep roots cool, retain moisture and watering, garden maintenance, car washing and other outdoor uses. Tbis increased usage directly affects the levels of Halton's water reservoirs, which are monitored daily for capacity and flow. We can aIl contribute to ensuring our water reservoir levels remain high, through voluntary water restrictions. t encourage your participation in conservation-friendly activities through the remainder of the summer months per the suggestions listed on this page. Halion's dninking water goes through extensive tesiing to meet, and often exceed, Ministry of the Environmeni regulations. With so much work going into creating our drinking water, we need your help to conserve it ail summer. reduce the need for watering. *Plantings at Regional facilities follow the principles of xeriscaping'(landscaping with the goal of reducing water usage) by planting water efficient varieties that need less water and can sustain their beauty through dry weather. *Newer Regional facilities utibize plumbing measures that ensure responsible water consumption and older facilîties, like our Nortli Operations Building, have been retrofitted to reflect current standards. We continue to look for opportunities for conservation efforts in ail our facilities. We are doing our part and we are committed to educating others by attending local community events to provide information abouît water conservation. We hand out ramn gauges to help people know how little water actually is needed for effective lawn maintenance. For more information or to receive a copy of the Housebold Guide to Water Efficiency, please contact us or vîsit our website for more water conserving tips. Enjoy your summer. Breakdown of Residential Water Use Out-door use Showers/baths/avatoy 0ther/geneal inidoor use Kitchenldsnikng taundriy Courtesy uf Esussusment Caniada Tse lssn joilet Flushing