As Temperatures Rise, Illinois American Water Encourages Wise Water Use

BELLEVILLE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With temperatures expected to rise across the region, reaching into the
90s this weekend and next week, Illinois American Water is reminding
customers to use water wisely.

“From keeping hydrated to playing in water sprinklers, as well as
running air conditioning and watering lawns, water plays an important
role in summertime fun and responsibilities. We are proud of the service
we provide and want to be sure folks are using water wisely,” said Mike
Smyth, vice president of operations.

The following tips from Illinois American Water can help consumers use
water more efficiently, plus identify and prevent leaks, a significant
source of water waste.

• Water your lawn only when it needs it. An easy way to tell is to
  simply walk across the grass. If it springs back you don’t need to
  water, but if you leave footprints, it’s time to water.
• Set your lawn mower one notch higher to make your lawn more
  drought-tolerant.
• Consider using drip irrigation or a rain barrel to water your outdoor
  plants, and water in the early morning. As much as 30 percent of
  water can be lost to evaporation by watering during midday.
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk, driveway or
  patio.
• Forego the hose and wash your car with a bucket and sponge instead,
  which uses only a few gallons to do the job, while a hose left running
  can waste as much as six gallons per minute.
• Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are full and adjust
  the water level of your washing machine to match the load size. If you
  have a water-saver cycle, use it. In addition, newer, high-efficiency
  washing machines use less than 27 gallons of water per load, compared
  to between 27 and 54 gallons a load with traditional machines.
• Keep a pitcher of cold tap water in the refrigerator. You will avoid
  the cost and environmental impact of bottled water and you will have
  cold water available for warm days without running the faucet.
• A short shower is better than a bath. A full bathtub can require up to
  70 gallons of water, while taking a 5-minute shower uses only 10 to 25
  gallons.
• Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save 8 gallons per
  day.
• Regularly check your toilet, faucets and pipes for leaks and have them
  fixed promptly. An easy test for toilet leaks from EPA
  WaterSense: Place a drop of food coloring in the tank. If the
  color tints the water in the bowl without flushing, there is a leak.
  Or, check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no
  water is being used. If the meter changes at all, there is probably a
  leak.

More wise water use tips can be found online here – http://tinyurl.com/yaamuop6.

About Illinois American Water – Illinois American Water, a
subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned
water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water
and/or wastewater services to approximately 1.3 million people. American
Water also operates a customer service center in Alton and a quality
control and research laboratory in Belleville. With a history dating
back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically
diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The
company employs more than 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide
regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related
services to an estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario,
Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

Contacts

Illinois American Water
Karen Cotton, 309-566-4126
[email protected]