Hollister
– It’s water awareness month, and local conservationists are
trying to spread their message that conserving the clear, wet stuff
that runs out of your faucet is both good for the world and good
for your wallet.
Hollister – It’s water awareness month, and local conservationists are trying to spread their message that conserving the clear, wet stuff that runs out of your faucet is both good for the world and good for your wallet.
There are a variety of ways to conserve water, ranging from the kind of toilet people use to their landscaping choices, according to Shawn Novack, water conservation program manager for the San Benito County Water Resources Association.
There is also good reason to conserve, he added.
As the world’s population grows, the amount of water available for human consumption remains the same, Novack said, making a it important to conserve the precious resource. And if that doesn’t motivate people to conserve, he said, there’s another reason to decrease their water consumption: a lower water bill.
“People should know that they can conserve water and help reduce their bills,” Novack said.
The Water Resources Association – a nonprofit conservation group that serves water customers in Hollister, San Juan Bautista and Sunnyslope Water District – has several programs to encourage water conservation both inside and outside of the home.
The association is giving away low-flow toilets this month to replace toilets that are at least 15 years old. To receive a toilet, bring the old toilet, a recent water bill and identification to the San Benito County Water District building on Mansfield Road on May 13 between 8am and noon. Each old toilet replaced will save about 10,000 gallons of water per year, according to Novack.
“It’s the largest water consuming fixture in a house,” he said, adding that the low-flow toilets cut water used for flushing by half.
Also, the association is offering a $100 rebate toward the cost of replacing old washing machines with certified Energy Star washers, which, according to Novack, use half the amount of water that older washers do.
There are opportunities for conservation in the yard too, Novack said. It is important for people to pay attention to what plants they use and how they water them. On May 20, the association will have a landscape seminar from 10am to 2pm at the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets. During the seminar and irrigation specialist and master gardeners will teach efficient irrigation methods.
For more information about Water Resources Board programs visit www.wrasbc.org. Or, meet Shawn Novack at the Hollister Downtown Association Certified Farmers market – Wednesdays from 3pm to 7pm – where he is giving away low-flow shower heads and nozzles.
Luke Roney covers local government and the environment for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or at
lr****@fr***********.com
