In her monthly newsletter St. Petersburg District 6 City Council member Gina Driscoll reminds us that every resident, visitor and business plays a role in conserving St. Petersburg’s water, and that the City is here to help its customers save money this month and beyond.

Six Ways to Participate in Water Conservation Month

1. Attend a free workshop.
The City of St. Petersburg hosts free virtual workshops year-round for topics like rain barrels, Florida landscaping, drought-tolerant plants and more. Upcoming workshops can be found at www.stpete.org/WaterWorkshops

2. Get a free sprinkler system check-up.
Eligible St. Pete utility customers can receive a no-cost sprinkler system evaluation, rain sensor installation and more from a local expert through the City’s free Sensible Sprinkling Program. Details at www.stpete.org/WaterPrograms

3. Start watering with rainwater.
Through the Rainwater Rebate Program, eligible St. Petersburg storm water customers can get rebates for installing rain barrels, rain totes and/or rain gardens. Details at www.stpete.org/WaterPrograms

4. Take advantage of local rebate programs.
St. Petersburg residents and businesses may be eligible for rebates for installing efficient toilets, soil moisture sensors and more with Tampa Bay Water Wise Rebates at www.TampaBayWaterWise.org.The Southwest Water Management District also offers rebates to cover up to 50% of costs to support water-saving projects. Details at www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/WISE

5. Follow the year-round irrigation watering restrictions.
Follow the year-round irrigation watering restrictions for potable (drinking), private well and surface water sources by watering only 5 to 9 a.m. or 7 to 11 p.m. on these days: Even addresses: Tuesdays & Saturdays; Odd addresses: Wednesdays & Sundays. Reclaimed water customers are encouraged to water no more than three times per week. Details at www.stpete.org/WaterRestrictions

6. Subscribe to the Water Wise eSplash e-newsletter for
Water-saving tips, resources and programs all year long at www.stpete.org/enewsletters.

Saving Water Indoors

Tips from the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

Use the home’s water meter to check for leaks
Turn off all faucets and water-using appliances and make sure water is not being used during this testing period. Go to the water meter and record the current reading. After 30 minutes without using water, read the meter again. If the reading has changed, there is a leak.

Watch out for silent leaks in toilets
Remove the toilet tank lid and any colored cleaning agents. Flush to clear the water in the bowl. Add dye tablets, leak detector fluid or even a few drops of food coloring to the tank. If there is a leak, color will appear in the bowl within 10 to 15 minutes. Flush when the test is completed.

Take shorter showers and make sure there are no leaks in showerheads
If there is a leak, make sure the showerhead is screwed tightly. Additionally, make sure showerheads are low-flow. Older high-volume showerheads deliver 4 gallons of water per minute. New low-volume showerheads deliver 2.5 gallons per minute. Pressures have been adjusted to the low-flow fixtures to deliver as good a shower as the higher flow showerheads.

Adjust wash cycles for laundry
Select the minimum volume of water required for each load. Normal and permanent press wash cycles use more water, so use the shortest wash cycle for lightly soiled loads. Stains can be pretreated to avoid rewashing.

Bottom Line: When thinking about saving water it’s important to remember we can do so both indoors and outdoors. We are all responsible for the health and conservation of our water resources.

Related Links:
The Florida Yards & Neighborhoods Handbook
Saving Water Using Your Irrigation System, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
A Better Lawn on Less Water, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions

St. Petersburg Communities

If you’re interested in any of these of communities or live in one of them and are thinking of selling, call Estelia today!

Allendale Terrace
Bahama Shores
Bayway Isles
Coquina Key
Crescent Heights
Crescent Lake
Downtown
Greater Pinellas Point
Historic Kenwood
Historic Old Northeast
Historic Roser Park
Historic Uptown
Isla del Sol