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Water Conservation

High-Efficiency Rinser for Restaurants

Save money and water with a new high-efficiency, stainless steel Power Rinser. With the "Power Spray" rinser from Niagara Conservation, you can save up to 80% on your water consumption without noticing a change in your sprayer's water pressure or flow. Equipped with a 5-year warranty, the Power Rinser is interchangeable with all brands.

Endorsed by the Green Restaurant Association and tested by the Food Service Technology Center, you can save up to $1300 per year on water and wastewater costs. Learn more about the Power Rinser.

If you are interested in getting a free Power Rinser from the UC, please contact Jeannie Santrock, Commercial Customer Service Representative, at (386) 424-3067.

Showerhead Exchange Program

Bring in your old 2.5 gpm showerhead to

Customer Service, and receive a FREE kit containing:

A high-performance 1.25 gpm showerhead
A 1.5 gpm dual-spray kitchen sink aerator
Two 1 gpm bathroom faucet aerators
A toilet fill cycle diverter
And more!

Note: You must be a UC water customer.

Limit one free showerhead per service location.

Lawn and Landscape Irrigation Rules

The St. Johns River Water Management District watering rules are in effect for all customers, regardless of whether you live within the city or county limits. These rules will update on Nov. 1, 2009.

Water outdoors only when needed.
Irrigation is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Irrigation is limited to no more than two days per week on scheduled days:

Residential irrigation at odd numbered addresses or no addresses is allowed on Wednesday and Saturday.
Residential irrigation at even numbered addresses is allowed on Thursday and Sunday.
Non-residential irrigation is allowed on Tuesday and Friday.

Learn more about SJRWMD's lawn and landscape irrigation rule.

Click here to for Florida- Friendly Landscaping tips

Waterwise Florida Landscapes from the St. Johns River Water Management District

Consider Planting a Rain Garden This Spring

As spring begins and gardening season gets underway, consider installing a rain garden in this year’s landscaping plan.

What is a rain garden?
A rain garden is a garden planted in an area of your yard that normally collects rain, like a sloped recession or a dip. These gardens, which thrive in areas where rain accumulation makes grass hard to grow, collect rain runoff and help filter the water. The result is cleaner water enters our soil and groundwater supply, instead of running off your property and collecting pollutants on the way toward local waterways.

Why plant a rain garden?
Planting a rain garden can be a personal contribution to cleaner water, healthier fish and wildlife populations, and an improved environment for everyone. Rain gardens:

Increase the amount of water filtering into the ground which helps replenish our aquifers and potable (drinking) water supply,
Enhance the beauty of your yard and your neighborhood,
Provide valuable wildlife habitats for birds, butterflies, and small mammals,
Use less water and require less maintenance than the lawns or other landscaping they replace.

What should I plant?
Use native Florida plants—they easily tolerate our climate’s alternately moist and dry conditions. Consider some of the Florida-friendly shrubs, trees, and plants listed in the March 2009 bill insert.

Installing & maintaining rain gardens
Experimenting plays a part in the process, but these tips can help your rain garden be successful:

Mix plants and use grasses—native grasses will help keep wildflowers upright.
Select colors and plants that will attract birds, small mammals, and butterflies.
Weeds may be a problem the first year, but as the plants get established, fewer weeds should appear.
Reconstruct or replant areas that aren’t doing well.

Source: University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences booklet—”Rain Gardens” & the UF/IFAS Okeechobee Extension

Water Conservation Information(from www.epa.gov)

APPLIANCES
Dishwashers

Run your dishwasher only when it's full; use the rinse-and-hold dishwasher feature until you're ready to run a full load.
Don't pre-rinse dishes before loading the dishwasher. Our tests show pre-rinsing doesn't improve cleaning, and by skipping this step, you'll save as much as 20 gallons per load, or 6,500 gallons per year.
If you're buying a new dishwasher, consider a water-saver. The most water-efficient models we've tested use only about 4 gallons per wash—about a third of what the least efficient models used.

Visit our Green Ratings to find the most water-efficient dishwasher that meets your needs.

Washing Machines

Run your washing machine only when it's full.
For your next washing machine consider a water-saver. The most water-efficient washer we've tested, the front-loading Kenmore (Sears) Elite HE 4t, uses only about 30 gallons for a large, 19 pound load, about the same amount that many machines use for an 8-pound load. Visit our Green Ratings to find the most water-efficient washing machine that meets your needs.

LAWN-CARE & GARDENING

To reduce the amount of water you give to your lawn, adjust your lawnmower to cut grass no shorter than three inches. Taller grass encourages deeper roots and shades the soil to reduce moisture loss.
Visit our Green Ratings to view features and performance results of lawnmower models.
Add compost or peat moss to soil to improve its water-holding capacity. Visit our Green Ratings to find a compost bin that meets your needs.

About Florida's Drinking Water Supply

Florida’s water is one of our most precious resources. We are so fortunate to have as our drinking water source the pure Floridan Aquifer. The Floridan aquifer is the portion of the principal artesian aquifer that extends into Florida, parts of southern Alabama, southeastern Georgia, and southern South Carolina. In Florida it supplies the cities of Daytona, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Ocala, St. Petersburg, and Tallahassee and numerous rural communities.

The principal artesian aquifer is the largest, oldest, and deepest aquifer in the southeastern U.S. Ranging over 100,000 square miles, it underlies all of Florida and the Floridan portion developed millions of years ago during the late Paleocene to early Miocene periods, when Florida was underwater.

But Florida is the fourth largest state in terms of population, and it is predicted that it will takeover New York’s rank of third by the 2010 census. There is concern that our water supply will not be large enough, so the Utilities Commission is undertaking some important studies to determine alternative water sources for the future.

Some of these include working with our adjacent cities and preserving and leveraging our land to store and harvest water for our future needs. We do not receive any tax money and are totally funded through our operations and services.

The St. Johns River Water Management District has required all water suppliers to identify new water sources to augment and ensure water sources for existing and future customers. But individuals can make a difference too. Take a look at your water consumption around your home or business. Small changes can mean lower water usage and lower bills, too! Please check out these websites for information on water conservation.