A PUBLIC SERVICE OF UNITED WATER TOMS RIVER GROW A GORGEOUS GARDEN...WITH LESS WATER! PAGE 4 WATER FOR DRINKING. FOR LIVING. FOREVER. YOUR GUIDE TO CONSERVATION HOW MUCH WATER DOES MY LAWN REALLY NEED? PAGE 6 SPECIAL SAVINGS ON CONSERVATION KITS. PAGE 8 United Water Toms River MANAGEMENT Nadine Leslie VP & GENERAL MANAGER 15 ADAFRE AVENUE TOMS RIVER, NJ 08753 877-565-1456 Dear Customer: Whether you’re a gardener, a gourmet cook or a do-it-yourselfer, you can save water, money and energy. In the pages that follow, there’s something for everyone who wants to conserve water Curt Nemeth MANAGER, OPERATIONS and protect our natural resources. At United Water we believe that making the planet sustainable is the best job Robert Woodcock on Earth. We make it a priority to safeguard our water supply so we can provide OPERATIONS ENGINEER you with clean water every time you turn on the tap. Joseph Meyer As United Water employees, we’re proud to be part of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, SUPERINTENDENT, SYSTEM MAINTENANCE the only worldwide company dedicated to the environment. In this role we have Juan Donoso SUPERINTENDENT, PRODUCTION Jane Kunka MANAGER, PUBLIC AFFAIRS a special commitment to deliver the essentials of life and to protect our water supplies for generations to come. As a customer, you can help by using water wisely and sharing these suggestions with others. Please read this guide and select the conservation methods that work best for you. Your efforts will make an important difference in protecting our planet. Sincerely, Nadine Leslie Vice President & General Manager Look for the WaterSense label to choose quality, water-efficient products. The label means the product meets the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s specifications for performance. United Water is a partner in the EPA WaterSense program that makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment. For more information please visit the U.S. EPA website at epa.gov/watersense. 2 HOME GROWN GREEN The average American uses about 100 gallons of water every day. By installing more efficient water fixtures and repairing leaks, families can reduce indoor water use by about 35 percent. S LOT S LES ER T WA CHILL OUT! I Keep a pitcher of tap water GET FLUSH WITH SAVINGS in the refrigerator instead I of running the faucet for cold water. I Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the CLEAN UP YOUR COSTS Install a WaterSense tank. If the toilet is leaking, labeled toilet. It will use color will appear in the up to 70 gallons of water, 20 percent less water bowl within 15 minutes. while taking a 5-minute while offering equal or superior performance. I I shower uses only 10 Install a WaterSense to 25 gallons. Low flow labeled aerator or faucet. showerheads help It will increase the save even more. faucet’s efficiency by 30 percent without I sacrificing performance. I Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth to save 8 gallons per day. Repair dripping faucets and showerheads. One A full bathtub can require I Replace your old drip per second can washing machine waste more than 3,000 with a high-efficiency, gallons per year. ENERGY STAR® labeled model. It will use up to 50 percent less water and electricity. GO GREEN INSIDE I Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes or lower the water settings for smaller loads. Source: epa.gov/watersense 3 GORGEOUS GARDEN… S LOT S LES ER T WA Our yards are great places to relax and unwind. If you have a green thumb, try planting a “xeriscape” or “conservation” garden. By following low-water landscaping techniques, you can create a beautiful garden with low water and maintenance needs. Derived from the Greek word “xeros,” meaning dry, xeriscapes use native plants that are drought tolerant and gardening techniques that minimize water use. PLANNING & DESIGN SOIL IMPROVEMENTS PLANT SELECTION EFFICIENT IRRIGATION Take time to plan your Good soil conditions help A wide variety of low water If additional water is needed, garden. Consider soil and reduce water needs. Before use trees, shrubs, flowers install drip or trickle irrigation light conditions, drainage, you plant your garden be and ground covers can systems. These are designed maintenance level desired, sure to mix compost or peat be used to grow a colorful to use water efficiently and family interests and your moss into the soil. This organic conservation garden. are available from local budget. Limit the use of matter will help the soil retain Many require watering only garden centers. plants with high water needs. water. If your yard is sloped, in the first or second year Group plants with similar you can use terraces and after planting. water needs and place retaining walls to reduce plants that require the least water run-off. water the furthest from your home. GROW GREEN OUTSIDE 4 SAMPLE PLANTS FOR NEW JERSEY GROUND COVERS SHRUBS & TREES PERENNIALS Candytuft Adam’s Needle Black-eyed Susan Goldmoss Sedum Blue Carpet Juniper Coral Bells Lamb’s Ear Blue Maid Holly Michaelmas Daisy Periwinkle Bluebeard Montauk Daisy Silver Mound Artemisia Golden Dust Plant Purple Coneflower Stonecrop Golden Sword Yucca Tickseed PRACTICAL LAWNS Hollywood Juniper Woody Yarrow Korean Spice Viburnum Yarrow Limit the amount of area Winter King Hawthorn Autumn Joy Sedum Northern Bayberry you devote to a lawn and select grass varieties like fine fescues that require less water and maintenance. Plant groundcovers in areas that are difficult to mow. To reduce water usage even further, read about ET lawn watering on next page. EFFECTIVE USE OF MULCH MAINTENANCE IS ESSENTIAL Mulch helps keep the soil Properly timed pruning, moist, smothers weeds fertilization, pest control and prevents erosion. Use and weeding will preserve mulches such as shredded your landscape’s beauty. bark, shredded leaves, pine Please be sure to use needles or gravel in a layer pesticides and fertilizers two inches deep. according to directions. WATER WISELY I I Water your lawn or garden during the cool morning hours to reduce evaporation. Don’t water on windy days. Look for sprinklers that produce droplets, not mist. You can also use soaker hoses or trickle irrigation. Make sure there are no leaks in your hose or sprinklers. I Set sprinklers to water lawns and gardens only, not the pavement. I Be sure your hose has a shut-off nozzle. A hose without a nozzle can spout 10 gallons or more a minute. I Don’t over fertilize because that increases the need for water. I Raise your lawn mower blade to at least 3 inches. Taller grass holds soil moisture better than a closely cropped lawn. I When washing the car, apply soap and water from a bucket, then use a hose with a shut-off nozzle for a quick final rinse. I If you have a pool, use a cover to slow evaporation. It will keep your pool cleaner and reduce the need to add chemicals. I Use a broom or leaf blower, not a hose, to clean your sidewalk or driveway. 5 GREAT GREEN LAWN We all love a green lawn. But did you know that your lawn may account for nearly 50 percent of your summer water usage? Now you can keep it green while saving water and money. Our ET program – short for EvapoTranspiration – takes the guess work out of lawn watering. S LOT S LES ER T WA We partner with experts through evaporation and needs based on the day’s your lawn can stay green from the South Jersey moisture loss from plants weather conditions. All you and healthy. And, you can Resource Conservation and through transpiration. Using have to do is check the reduce your summer water Development Council who this information, they calculate daily ET number to find usage by up to 25 percent help determine when your a daily “ET” number. That’s out exactly how much and lower your water bill by lawn needs watering. They the optimal amount of water water that your lawn needs. up to $200. measure water loss from soil the average lawn truly By following the ET program, FIND TODAY’S ET NUMBER Once you have the ET number, use the chart below to determine how long to water your lawn. The ET number indicates the number of inches of water your lawn needs. The average sprinkler delivers about one inch of water per hour. With ET you typically need to water your lawn every four days. The best time to water is before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. BY PHONE ET Hotline 732-349-0227 ext. 3034 after 8 a.m. ON THE WEB 0.25” 15 0.50” 30 0.75” 45 1.00” 60 1.25” 75 ON THE RADIO 1.50” 90 WOBM-AM M – Th, 6 – 7 a.m. 1.75” 105 2.00” 120 WOBMAM.com 6 ET NUMBER sjrcd.org/public/ tomsriver.html F WATE RIN G 0 SO UTE IN M 0.00” unitedwater.com ADDITIONAL INFORMATION L.J.H. LANDSCAPING/ LAWNCARE Toms River, NJ 732-237-0860 RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION njaes.rutgers.edu UNITED WATER unitedwater.com VISIT OUR DEMONSTRATION GARDEN 15 Adafre Avenue Toms River, NJ CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER HERE’S HOW eBILLING HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT 69 Devoe Place Hackensack, NJ 07601 We send over 4.6 million paper bills to our customers nationwide every year. As a result, these paper bills have a dramatic impact on the environment: OFFICE HOURS: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. United Water’s eBilling program is an easy and secure way to pay your water bill I 119.5 tons of paper are used while helping the environment. By opting I 239 tons of trees are destroyed I 1.9 million gallons of water are used I 604,431 pounds of greenhouse to have your water bill sent directly into your email inbox, you can help us protect and conserve our natural resources. gases are emitted To enroll in eBilling and protect the environment, call us at 877-565-1456 or visit unitedwater.com. PHONE: 877-565-1456 FAX: 201-487-9431 EMERGENCIES: 732-349-0227 E-MAIL: customer.service @unitedwater.com PAYMENT OPTIONS UW CARES There are several ways to pay your bill: UW Cares provides financial assistance to customers who have trouble paying their water bills. Grants are reviewed and processed through social services agencies in our community. I By mail I By phone I IF YOU NEED HELP IF YOU WANT TO HELP If you need assistance paying United Water provides the majority of funding to your water bill, please support these grants. Now you can contribute CALL UNITED WATER: too. Your gift can help provide essential water 877-565-1456 service to someone in your community. One CALL UW CARES: hundred percent of your contribution will go 888-942-8080 directly to help your neighbors in need! Because VISIT: UW Cares is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, uwcares.org. your gift is tax deductible. Electronically I On line I In person Call us for more information or visit us at unitedwater.com. 7 So stop pouring water – and money – down the drain. Our conservation program SAVING can help reduce your water use by up to 25 percent. It will also help you save money on your water and energy bills. The more you conserve, the more you save! WATER MAKES United Water has partnered with Niagara Conservation to offer you high quality conservation products at significant savings. We’re pleased to offer our customers DOLLARS special pricing on three water-saving kits. The price includes shipping, handling AND and taxes, where applicable. R E SENSE ORD R YOU ATION V SER OW! N CO IT N K TO PURCHASE A WATER-SAVING KIT ON THE WEB waterconservationproducts.com STANDARD WATER-SAVING KIT OUTDOOR LANDSCAPE KIT DELUXE WATER-SAVING KIT (Retail value $30.00) (Retail value $40.00) (Retail value $65.00) $500 $700 $1500 MAIL TO: Name Standard Kit: $5.00 Quantity: ______ Address Outdoor Landscape Kit: $7.00 Quantity: ______ Communications Dept. 200 Old Hook Road Complete and return the coupon below. Check the box or boxes below and enter the number of kits you would like to order. Please make check payable to: NIAGARA CONSERVATION United Water BY MAIL Harrington Park, NJ 07640 8 City State Zip Deluxe Kit: $15.00 Quantity: ______