2015 sept bright spots

Bright Spots - By Craig A. Wilson The Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, AMWUA for short, is one of the bright spots in the field of water conservation. This organization is made possible by the City of Mesa and several of the other communities in the Valley of the Sun. AMWUA creates a lot of the nifty stuff I get to look through to bring to the attention of Dobson Ranch residents.

Here is one such webpage: Their article continues: If you think the water-using fixtures are off in your home, guess again. Check the meter and if it continues to run, even a little, the problem is likely inside your home or with a pool or spa; never the irrigation system. Here are two common interior problems.

Toilet: When it comes to interior leaks, your toilet is the most likely suspect. The City of Mesa has drops of dye to put in a toilet’s tank and turn the water blue. If the blue water then appears in the bowl, your toilet is leaking. The main culprits: flappers and fill valves. The flapper valve is a rubber piece that seals the tank shut and opens when you pull the handle to flush. If it gets warped or isn’t sealing properly, the tank leaks. Then there is the fill valve in your tank that keeps the water level constant. If the fill valve malfunctions, the water level increases and extra water goes down an overflow tube and into the toilet bowl instead of onto your bathroom floor. While you are avoiding a flood, you are paying for water that does nothing but flow into the toilet and out your sewer line. Visit the Water Management Committee table at Oct. 17 Outdoor Expo and pickup a dye kit.

Water softener: Check for signs that the recharge valve on your water softener has malfunctioned and the system is recharging far too often or continually. Once again, that means you are paying for water flowing in and out of your home without serving any purpose. Your recharge system uses about one gallon per minute. If it runs non-stop for thirty days that can raise your water use by 43,200 gallons.

In the online site hosted by AMWUA’s #SmartPig, is a step-by-step guide that allows one to conduct their own water audit. The guide is easy to use via a phone or tablet and one can check out one system at a time when it’s convenient. A 24-page Smart Home Water Guide booklet also is available – in English or Spanish – again at the Oct. 17 Outdoor Expo.

For 46 years, our Arizona Municipal Water Users Association has worked to provide assured, safe and sustainable water supplies to our communities. For more information visit www.amwua.org.

This is just one of the benefits we support living in Mesa, just one of the bright spots that help keep water abundant for those who use water wisely.