November Residential Water Conservation eNewsletter

November topics: indoor and outdoor water conservation tips and registration for Tempe WaterSmart to help find leaks.

Drought update
Tempe remains at Stage 0 – Watch of the Drought Preparedness Plan (DPP), which ensures Tempe has strategies in place to predict, prepare for and react to shortages to meet the demands of the water service area now and into the future. Currently, there are no restrictions on customer usage resulting from the drought, but Tempe continues to raise awareness of drought conditions and encourage customers to implement voluntary conservation at their homes and businesses. Water conservation and efficiency are vital to a sustainable future in the desert, and practical water-wise lifestyle changes will impact the community’s water future. The City of Tempe recommends the following resources and services to help reduce water consumption.

Register for November's virtual workshop How to Use the Landscape Watering by the Numbers Guide.

Register for the no-cost WaterSmart program.

Get involved with Water – Use It Wisely events.

Find 100 Ways to Conserve Water.

Indoor and outdoor water conservation tips

Water leaks are common, but they do not have to be permanent. Review Tempe's Find and Fix Leaks webpage and practice the following water conservation tips to conserve water indoors and outdoors. 

Use the clothes washer for full loads only. Typically, clothes washers on a permanent-press cycle can use an additional five gallons for the extra rinse. If a partial load is prudent, then adjust water levels to match the load size.

Take shorter showers. A four- or five-minute shower uses 20 to 40 gallons water on average. Turn off the water to apply soap then back on to rinse off.

Turn off the hose when washing the car. Remember to follow stormwater tips to reduce pollution. Wash the car on lawn or gravel, not on paved areas, or use a commercial car wash where water is recycled and treated before being sent to the sewer.

Use pool covers to reduce evaporation and stay safe. During the Fall season pools can lose an inch of water each week. Wind, humidity and temperature can affect how quickly water evaporates. Consider a pool cover to save thousands of gallons of pool water. Learn more pool and spa care tips.

How to Use the Landscape Watering by the Numbers Guide Workshop

Become more familiar with this valuable guide to better manage watering frequency, appropriate soil moisture depth and proper watering techniques for different landscape plants. The workshop will be held from 7 to 8 p.m., on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, on Microsoft Teams (link provided closer to workshop date).

Register for a Workshop

Finding and fixing leaks from Water - Use it Wisely

A leaky faucet can waste thousands of gallons per year if left unfixed. A fast-dripping faucet can end up costing homeowners about $20 a month or upwards of $2,000 per year. A small crack in a pipe can cost about $600 per month in addition to other leaks. Explore how to find different leaks and the associated fixes at wateruseitwisely.com/saving-water-indoors/how-to-fix-stuff/.

WaterSmart customer portal

The City of Tempe provides a water management resource at no additional cost to Tempe water utility customers. The Portal allows monitoring of hourly and daily water usage and a place to sign up for leak and high use alerts. Click to view a video on detecting leaks with WaterSmart: How to Use WaterSmart to Detect Leaks - YouTube.

Water Wise plant of the month

Trailing Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus')
The Rosemary Trailing is native to Mediterranean climate and is well suited to intense sun and poor alkaline soil. It is drought tolerant and will trail down a wall or raised flowerbed. The Trailing Rosemary will produce pale lavender-blue flowers from autumn to spring.
Requires full sun
Provides color all year round
Adapts to the desert (but not native)
Requires moderate watering
Thrives in slightly acidic, well-draining soil
Pairs well with sage, thyme, oregano and marjoram
Attracts bees
Offers scented foliage

Tempe Residential Water Conservation Coordinator
The City of Tempe has a new Residential Water Conservation Coordinator: Robert Etchamendy. Robert comes to Tempe from the private sector, where he gained significant experience managing conservation programs and worked with Tempe's water conservation team to increase the water efficiency at Tempe Unified High Schools. Robert was born in Tempe and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Arizona State University and a Master of Arts degree in Education from the University of Phoenix.

Robert will work closely with the Non-residential Water Conservation Coordinator to ensure all water within the Tempe Water Service Area is used as efficiently and effectively as possible. His background, experience and positive attitude make Robert a great addition to Tempe's water conservation team.