Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2011 Chanhassen Water Wise Conservation Program! This year’s WaterWise Conservation Program consisted of 132 residents who volunteered to participate in this free program. Participants received a Water Conservation Starter Pack containing information, products and coupons, as well as weekly emails with conservation tips and techniques to help them conserve water.  Additionally, all participants were eligible for monthly prize drawings that included tickets to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, passes to the Chanhassen Recreation Center, and a gift certificate to Lakewinds Natural Foods and Home. Additionally, the two residents who reduced their household water usage by the greatest percentage, and who used the least amount of household water throughout the program, received a  rain barrel from the Carver County Environmental Center. 

• Carver County Environmental Center
• Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
• Chanhassen Recreation Center
• Lakewinds Natural Foods

The Water Wise Conservation Program focuses on education and incentives for residents to encourage water conservation throughout Chanhassen.

For more information and tips on how you can be Water Wise, view the weekly newsletters and the tips shown below or contact Krista Spreiter, Natural Resources Technician at 952-227-1173.

2011 WaterWise Conservation Program Weekly Newsletters:

• Week 1 Newsletter - June 6, 2011
• Week 2 Newsletter - June 15, 2011
• Week 3 Newsletter - June 22, 2011
• Week 4 Newsletter - June 29, 2011
• Week 5 Newsletter - July 4, 2011
• Week 6 Newsletter - July 11, 2011
• Week 7 Newsletter - July 18, 2011
• Week 8 Newsletter - July 25, 2011
• Week 9 Newsletter - August 1, 2011
• Week 10 Newsletter - August 8, 2011
• Week 11 Newsletter - August 15, 2011
• Week 12 Newsletter - August 22, 2011
• Week 13 Newsletter - August 29, 2011

• Keep daily showers to 5 minutes or less. A typical shower uses 5 gallons of water per minute. Install a water-efficient shower head which can feel the same as a regular shower head but can save up to 750 gallons per month.

• Install a WaterSense certified shower head. Click HERE to see how much you can save.
• Place a water-filled plastic bottle or other displacement device in your toilet tank. This will reduce the amount of water required to flush by 1-2 gallons per flush. A typical toilet uses 6 gallons per flush. When installing a new toilet, consider a small-capacity model. These are usually less expensive and reduce water usage significantly.

• Install aerators on all of your faucets that have a flow rate of 2.75 or more. The rate of flow is imprinted on the side.

• Shut off bathroom faucets while washing hands, brushing teeth, and shaving. These activities typically use 2-5 gallons of water with the faucet running. By shutting off the water while scrubbing, brushing, etc., you can save 1-2 gallons of water per use.

• Fill the kitchen sink partially full and wash and rinse pans or dishes in the sink instead of using a running faucet. This will save approximately 15 gallons of water per use.

• Do only full loads of laundry or dishes when using your washing machine or automatic dishwasher. An automatic dishwasher uses 15 gallons of water per cycle, while a typical top-loading washing machine uses 40-60 gallons of water per cycle. You can save up to 1,000 gallons per month.

• Check your toilet, faucets, and other fixtures for leaks. A slow drip wastes 15 to 20 gallons of water a day; a leaky toilet can waste hundreds of gallons. Check for leaks in your toilet by shutting off the water to your toilet and marking the water level in the tank. If the water level goes down, the toilet flap is most likely leaking. You may also get a dye kit from your local hardware store, request one for free from the city, or use food coloring. Put the dye in your toilet tank over night. If the colored water is in your toilet bowl the next day, your toilet is leaking.

• Purchase Energy Star and Water Sense rated appliances and fixtures. These products can save you significant amounts of water and money. Go to www.epa.gov/watersense for product listings.

• Avoid watering between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Watering during the warmest part of the day, when the sun is the strongest, is the worst time to water due to the high rate of evaporation. Never water on a windy day

• Don't over-water. Only give your grass and plants the amount of moisture they need. Most lawns only need 1 inch of water or rain a week, depending on grass and soil type, as well as amount of shade. Use a rain sensor on your irrigation system to avoid watering when unnecessary. Over-watering can actually harm your grass and plants, as this can cause disease, spread weeds, and encourage the development of a shallow root system.
  • To find out how long or how much you need to water your lawn, place a tuna or small cat food can on your lawn while watering. When the can is filled, you've given your lawn the right amount of water.

• Adjust your irrigation system to the season. Don't allow your system to run at 100% from April to October. Click HERE for recommendations for Chanhassen irrigation systems.
• Raise your lawn mower up an inch or two. Allowing your grass to grow to 2-3 inches requires less watering and also encourages a deeper root system. Lawns and plants with deep root systems are more tolerant of environmental stress such as drought and cold.

• Build healthy soil. Healthy soil reduces the amount of watering needed for lawns and plants. Make sure there is at least 4-6 inches of topsoil before laying sod or planting grass. Use compost or organic fertilizer to add the organic matter and nutrients grass and plants need, and have your soil tested beforehand. Remember, too much fertilizer can harm lawns and plants, as well as surface water.

• Mulch, mulch, & more mulch! Mulching around trees, perennials, and in your garden not only cuts down on mowing, but also keeps plants hydrated, therefore reducing the amount of watering needed. Mulching grass clippings back into your lawn also creates a healthier lawn that requires less fertilizer.

• Create or preserve native and low-maintenance landscaping features throughout your yard. Install a raingarden, prairie plot, grove of trees and shrubs, garden with low-maintenance, hardy perennials, or add fescue grass species to your lawn. Native plants and fescue lawns are hardier because they are adapted to our climate and have a deeper root system, thus reducing the amount of water, fertilizer, and time spent mowing and maintaining that is required with traditional landscaping.
  Informational Links on Water Wise Landscaping:
  • Rain Garden Informational Pamphlet
  • Rain Garden Design and Construction Worksheet
  • Low Input Lawn Care
  • Metro Area Erosion Control Suppliers
  • List of Native Plants

• Install a rain barrel. Rain barrels collect stormwater off of roofs or other surfaces and store it for future use, such as watering your lawn and garden. By using a rain barrel, you can reduce your household water use and provide your plants with untreated water.
  • Rain Barrel and Compost Bin SALE! Click HERE for details. Pre-order by April 15, 2011
  • For instructions on how to make your own rain barrel, click HERE.