Water is once again a hot topic in Southern California these days, with rainfall and snowpack at very low levels, and the recent scare where the water flow from San Franciso Bay/Delta area being shut down for a short period of time recently.

What can be done to help save our most precious resource, water?

First of all, make sure that you're following the standard common sense water conservation practices. Here's a short list from Santa Clarita's Castaic Lake Water Agency.

For Indoors:

• Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers.
• Check for toilet leaks by adding a little food coloring to the tank. If the bowl water has color in it after about 30 minutes, then you have a leak.
• Don't use toilets for disposing Kleenex or other items that can be thrown in the trash instead.
• Take shorter showers, and replace the shower head with low-flow variety.
• Don't run water when washing dishes by hand. Fill one sink with soapy water, and the other with clear water for rinsing.
• For cold drinking water, store some in the fridge instead of running the tap and letting the water cool each time.
• Wash only full loads of clothes or dishes. Or, for clothes set the proper water level if washing a smaller load.
• Consider instant hot water devices for sinks so hot water is readily available without letting the water run.

For Outdoors:

• Don't over-water!
• Water in the early morning to reduce evaporation.
• Don't water streets, driveways or sidewalks. Adjust sprinklers for overspray.
• Install water efficient sprinklers, including drip systems.
• Mulch to retain moisture in the soil.
• Plant native or drought tolerant plants, and group plants based on water needs.
• Don't hose down driveways, patios or sidewalks.
• Visit the water conservatory garden website at http://clwa.org/conservation/cgarden.cfm for more tips and for a complete list of drought-tolerant plants that thrive in the Santa Clarita area.

Other options being explored to increase our water supply are desalination programs. Ocean water is plentiful, but the desalination process can be very expensive. For a great article on the desalination process, visit SCV Talk at http://scvtalk.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=648.

Linda Slocum, Santa Clarita Realtor

http://HoneyStartPacking.com

http://SantaClaritaRealEstateBlog.com