Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) hosted the first annual Service Line Awareness Week from March 20-26. During the week, we focused on providing citizens educational materials to help demonstrate simple ways to improve water conservation. Here are some fun tips and facts that were featured:

• You can refill an 8-oz glass of water approximately 15,000 times for the same cost as a six-pack of soda pop.
• Americans use 5.7 billion gallons of water per day from toilet flushes, an average of 1.5 to 3.5 gallons per flush.
• Adjust mowers to a higher setting. Taller grass shades the roots and helps retain soil moisture so your lawn requires less water.
• Re-use your pasta water. Try straining your pasta water into a large pot. Once it cools, you can use it to water your plants.

In addition to the fun facts and educational materials that were provided, SLWA also ran two contests for residents. Residents were encouraged to share photos and/or stories about how they conserve water. The winner from each contest received a water conservation prize pack. Randy C. From Kansas City, Missouri, won our #SLAWeek Story Contest. Take a look at his winning story:

“We installed a 1150-gallon tank under our deck a few years ago and then added heavy gutters to collect most of the rainwater from the backside of our house. We use it to water our raised-bed gardens, wash the dogs, water the house’s foundation (something we have to do in Kansas), any power washing, and occasional lawn watering (by running it through a pump and then sprinkler). In the house, we flush one toilet with it and use it for all devices which create steam – humidifiers, irons, etc. – to avoid damage caused by our local hard water. Near-term future plans include adding a solar shower in the backyard using the rainwater; longer-term future plans include a secondary pressurized set of water lines in the house providing non-potable water where appropriate. I think our norms for water use in the US are insane – treated, drinkable water is a precious resource that takes energy to clean and then move around, and then it’s largely used thoughtlessly for things that don’t require that level of sanitation. The goal at our house is to make that division as clear as possible and then use the appropriate water source for any given task.”