Water Conservation

Lawn Watering–One Inch per Week Really Works!

Water consumption spikes up more than 40 percent in the summertime, to peaks of 55 million gallons per day (mgd). That translates to an extra 20 million gallons daily as people enjoy the sunshine, water their lawns, and wash their cars.

For the two years while work is underway at the Franzen Reservoir, every Salem drinking water customer is asked to be smart about water use. During the Franzen Reservoir project, we need to reduce water use in the summer with the aim to use no more than 50 million gallons per day.

In Summer 2003, Salem’s water customers responded. Despite the warm, dry weather in 2003, water consumption exceeded 50 million gallons on only five days, compared to eight days during the cooler, wetter summer of 2002. Customers are asked to keep conserving water through the summer of 2004 while the Franzen Reservoir rebuilding is completed.

How can we meet this goal together? We have noticed people tend to overwater their lawns. So, once again, we are asking Salem residents to join the One Inch per Week campaign.

Lawns need only one inch of water each week to stay healthy and green. More than that is a waste of pure drinking water—a luxury Salem cannot afford.

To help people join the One Inch per Week lawn watering campaign, we will continue giving out free One Inch per Week lawn water gauges. To request a water gauge, call the Water Quality Hotline at
503-588-6323, or e-mail at water@cityofsalem.net, and we will mail one to you.

To find out more about ways to save water, call the Water Conservation Hotline at:
503-361-2212.

Click here to take our Water Conservation Survey

Conservation Success Stories

In recent summers, every Salem drinking water customer has been asked to use water wisely. Here are a few stories that tell what residential, business, and institutional customers are doing to conserve water.

Bob Reitmajer, Southeast Salem Resident

Keeping a green lawn all summer long is possible—without using much water. Inspired by an article in Gardening magazine, Bob Reitmajer decided to plant a new front lawn with a drought-resistant alternative to traditional grass. An avid gardener, he purchased a special seed mix at a local garden supply store.

The water savings were significant. Bob’s eco-lawn needed irrigation only once per week. When it rained, lawn watering was reduced to every two weeks.

The eco-lawn required little maintenance—it was usually trimmed every two weeks. Over time Bob learned his replacement lawn could go even longer between “haircuts,” because it was naturally low-lying. The eco-lawn also looked good. “By the end of summer, my lawn was greener than any of the others on my block,” he observes. After moving to a new home, Bob plans to plant another eco-lawn—this time in his back yard. “I can hardly wait,” he exclaims.

Creekside Golf Club

Many Salem area businesses have also joined the crusade to conserve drinking water. At Creekside Golf Club, saving water is a top priority. “We pay for every single drop of water,” says golf course superintendent Aaron Spillman.

Creekside’s water conservation program began in earnest in 2000. Since then, some of the biggest savings have come from steps taken to avoid "losing” water. The golf course is irrigated only at night to reduce evaporation. (This also prevents burning the grass on sunny days.) The nine-million-gallon irrigation pond, located near holes #8 and #9 on the golf course, has been lined so all of the water stays in the pond.

Creekside has also modified its irrigation practices to produce water savings. Drainage system improvements have redistributed water more evenly around the golf course. Sprinkler nozzles have been downsized to reduce their water use. The golf course superintendent also keeps a careful eye on the weather forecast. If rain is predicted within the coming three days, irrigation stops.

Aaron also points to another benefit of water conservation: “We’re located in the fast growing South Salem community—we prefer to save City water for others.”

Creekside Golf Club was joined last summer by other Salem area businesses that contributed to the water conservation effort. Several companies volunteered to distribute water conservation tips to their employees and families: Kerr Concentrates, Kettle Foods, Puentes Brothers, Rain Sweet, and Ventura Foods.

State of Oregon

The State of Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has made great strides in reducing water consumption at its facilities located in Salem. A Water Conservation Policy has been adopted for summer seasons, with a goal of reducing DAS lawn irrigation using City water by 25 percent. Decorative fountains may also be turned off during the dry months.

For DAS-owned buildings, a special utility tracking program—Utility Manager—audits water use and pinpoints problems that are quickly resolved. Employee education also plays a role. State workers are encouraged to take action to save water, by reporting leaks and using water carefully.

According to Elin Shepard of DAS, these measures are paying off—saving up to 15 percent in the department’s total annual water consumption. “That adds up to substantial dollar savings for Oregon taxpayers,” Elin reports.

Other institutional water customers signing on to help conserve water include Salem-Keizer School District and Salem Parks and Recreation.