Did you know the average faucet flows at a rate of two gallons per minute and that you can save up to four gallons of water every morning just by turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth? Or that a running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day, and that at one drip per second, a faucet can leak 3,000 gallons per year?
Nearly one-half of the water used by Americans is used for thermoelectric power generation, which is why we — as residents of Bartlesville — need to do our part to conserve water and energy.
To help in this effort, Mayor Dale Copeland has joined mayors across the country in asking residents to make a long-term commitment to manage water resources more wisely by taking part in the annual Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation — and in return residents can win $3,000 toward their Home Utility Payments, water saving fixtures and hundreds of other prizes. Plus, participants can nominate a local charity to receive a 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid XLE to serve the community.
The annual challenge, which started Aug. 1 and ends Aug. 31, is a non-profit national community service campaign that encourages leaders to inspire their residents to make a series of simple pledges at mywaterpledge.com to use water more efficiently, reduce pollution, and save energy.
Some things you can do to help conserve energy are:
- Repair leaking faucets, pipes and toilets
- Shorten your shower time, use low-flow devices and turn off the tap
- Wash only full loads of laundry and dishes
- Power down to save electricity
- Waste less food
- Use reusable shopping bags
- Use a refillable bottle or cup
- Say nope to plastic straws
- Beautify with climate-appropriate plants
- Turn off sprinklers when it rains
- Use sprinklers on minimal settings before 8 a.m.
- Sweep instead of hose
- Scoop up pet’s waste
- Dispose of waste pharmaceuticals safely (drop box available at Bartlesville Police Department)
- Walk, bike or bus more often
- Recycle batteries and electronics
- Recycle clean paper, cardboard, aluminum and glass (use City of Bartlesville recycle center, located at 10th Street and Virginia Avenue)
For more information, see City joins 2020 conservation challenge.