Blog co-hosted with the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (Upper District)

 If fixing small indoor leaks seems arduous, then when it comes to outdoor leaks and irrigation systems, sometimes it feels easier to take a rain check on the maintenance. But in doing so, you could be wasting over 6,000 gallons of water per month! Not to mention a lot of money ... So how do we save money and water, now, during winter months?

The Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District makes water saving tips accessible to residents on their website and suggest that by cutting back on your outdoor water use, you could reduce water and increase saving and maintenance bills.

In partnership with the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, we are working towards helping residents of the San Gabriel Valley save water, money, and stay mosquito bite-free.

Here's how to save water and eliminate mosquitoes now!

1. Cut down on water use for outdoor watering, gardening, and seeding periods. Less water means less mosquitoes.
2. Conduct a monthly inspection and maintenance of your irrigation systems, both indoors and outdoors. Take this inspection opportunity to check for stagnant water around your home.
3. Update your garden to include native and drought tolerant plants to significantly reduce water usage. Also, try to toss out plants that are rooted in water and plants that retain water in their leaves, like bromeliads -- these tend to harbor hundreds of mosquitoes.
4. Consider obtaining a rain barrel to store rain water, only remember to maintain the mesh screen and use the recycled water immediately, so you don't have to worry about mosquitoes emerging 7 days later.

Try recycling indoor water out of doors:

• Use leftover water for tea and cooking to water outdoor plants.
• If you don't need that many ice cubes, place them in a plant instead of the sink.

By implementing better daily habits when it comes to outdoor water usage, we are changing the way we value our water, money, he​​alth, and environment.

So the next time you come across a leak, a bad sprinkler, or your grandma forgets to turn off the hose that's overflowing the plants in the backyard, remember this:

1. You save water by reusing it for other day-to-day tasks.
2. You save money by redirecting your water and taking care of little fixes that go a long way.
3. You save yourself by cleaning up and eradicating excess stagnant water that produces mosquitoes that could potentially carry diseases. 

Be water-wise and be bite-free!

For more information and tips, click HERE.

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About Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District

Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (Upper District) partners with many public and private entities to provide a sustainable, high quality water supply to residents and businesses within the greater San Gabriel Valley. Our stewardship of reliable water supplies rests on four pillars commonly called a “portfolio” of water resources: local water supplies, imported water, water quality and conservation. This year, the Upper District is celebrating six decades of innovation, conservation, and good water management. For more information, please visit https://upperdistrict.org/.