We're fortunate to live in a well-run condo project in San Francisco. Pacific Place is well-managed by CitiScape Property Management Group, and our on-site manager, Danielle, goes out of her way to keep things functioning smoothly for us.
The email she sent out today addresses the recent mandated 25% reduction in water use, a requirement for all Californians. While I couldn't think how we can cut our usage by 1/4, the property management company is actively working on solutions, starting with each condo own and the City's programs.
First, they explain that our two buildings spend an average of $6,500 per month for water, and that is likely to rise with water rate increases. In an effort to reduce water usage in the building, Pacific Place would like to participate in San Francisco's free Water-Wise Evaluation. This will involve testing the efficiency of water components with units, identifying inefficiencies and leaks, and provide free water-saving materials and devices.
In order to participate in the evaluation, Pacific Place must have access to at least 50% of the units in the building. We certainly will participate and I hope most of our neighbors will, too.
A few tips Pacific Place shared for conserving water:
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Reducing the length of your showers can save close to 3 gallons per minute
- Using water-efficient shower heads and faucets saves 1 gallon per minute.
- · Turning the faucet off while brushing teeth or shaving saves 2 gallons per minute.
- · Using a broom to clean balconies & patios instead of a hose saves 8-18 gallons a minute.
- · Fixing worn washers in a faucet with a slow steady drip saves 350 gallons per month, and 2,000 gallons a month if the leak is a small stream.
- · Putting a new flapper in a leaking toilet can save 7,000 gallons a month. To test for leaks, put food coloring in the tank. Don't flush. Ten minutes later if you see color in the bowl, you have a leak.
- · Running full loads of laundry instead of multiple loads throughout the week saves around 20 gallons.
- · A water-efficient dishwasher saves up to 8 gallons a load. Rebates are available for water-saving appliances at most Bay Area water agencies.
- Soaking pots and pans instead of letting the water run while scraping them clean saves a significant amount of water.
- Replacing a traditional non-efficient toilet, which can use 5 gallons per flush, with a newer high-efficiency model can save 38 gallons a day per toilet. Most Bay Area water districts offer rebates of between $50 and $250 per toilet.
Please visit www.sfwater.org for additional water conservation tips and information.
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