Despite rumors that have been circulating, Ashland water continues to be safe to drink, but please consider reducing non-essential water use.
September Plant Water Needs Are Lower Over-watering is common in late summer and early fall, especially September. Even though we still have high temperatures during this time, plant water needs decrease significantly because daylight hours have become shorter and the suns intensity has decreased. Follow the example
watering guide or visit
www.ashland.or.us/weather for more updated watering information. To schedule a sprinkler evaluation please email
Julie.smitherman@ashland.or.us.
Water Only When Needed Overwatering results in shallow roots and encourages weeds, disease and fungus growth. Check soil moisture before watering. Use a moisture meter to detect if soil is still moist from previous watering. You can pick one up for free by calling 541-488-5587.
Best Time to Water Water between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. to avoid losing water to wind and evaporation.
Inspect Your Irrigation System Check for leaks, broken or clogged heads and make adjustments to sprinklers to reduce runoff and be sure youre watering plants and not sidewalks, fences or buildings. Adjust your water pressure; too much pressure on sprinklers uses more water than needed.
Pools Keep pools covered when not in use so you wont lose water to evaporation.
Take Shorter Showers Or replace your showerhead with one that has a lower flow. The City is giving away free showerheads and bathroom and kitchen aerators, that work well and reduce water use. Please call 541-488-5587 to arrange a time to pick them up.
Change Out that Old Toilet Toilets are typically the highest use of water in a home. I know its surprising, but they can use a lot of water, especially older toilets pre 1994. The City is offering rebates for replacing these toilets. You can find the rebate form and instructions on the citys website at
www.ashland.or.us/rebates.
Car Washing Reduce vehicle washing and use facilities that recycle water. Manual car washing should include use of a bucket and hose equipped with a shutoff nozzle for brief wetting and rinsing.
Reduce Water Use on Paved Surfaces Exterior paved surfaces should be swept, rather than washed. If washing is necessary for such reasons as public health or safety, use of water brooms that provide maximum cleaning with minimum water usage is encouraged.
Known Leaks Repair leaks promptly. If you suspect you may have a leak, contact a plumber or a landscape professional to investigate.
Our community has taken mindful steps to use water wisely this summer and we want to thank you for all your efforts. However, with the recent weather conditions, fire activity and now that TID is no longer operating, we need to be even more vigilant in how we use our water for the remainder of the summer. Please consider voluntarily reducing water use where you can in and around your home.
The Citys water conservation team is here to assist you in your efforts to use water efficiently and minimize waste. There are a variety of programs, rebates and resources available for all of our customers to take advantage of. Please visit
www.ashlandsaveswater.org or call 541-552-2062 for more information.
