3. Ask the U.S. Ambassador to Support the Human Right to Water
By Calvin R. Finch - Special to the Express-News July 24, 2010-07-24
http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/SAWS_can_help_control_water_bills_99145374.html
It is summertime, and the water bills for most area residents go up significantly this time of year. The San Antonio Water System is a national leader in helping its customers keep their water bills at a reasonable level. Some of the best assistance is available to any area resident, whether you are a customer or not.
One of those benefits is the weekly Water Saver e-newsletter. The newsletter can be sent to your e-mail address on the day of the week you designate. The publication features the weekly watering recommendation for your lawn but also includes several short features on area landscaping and gardening. The price is right, too - it's free. You do not have to be a SAWS customer to receive the publication. Just visit the SAWS website at www.saws.org and then click Conservation, where you will find the Water Saver e-newsletter sign-up application.
The watering recommendation provided each week on the Water Saver e-newsletter is based on your lawn species and the amount of sun it receives applied to the evapotranspiration data for the last week.
Evapotranspiration rates are determined by temperature, wind, humidity and sun intensity. The weather data is collected by a Texas A&M weather station in San Antonio and translated to water use by applying it to a formula. The watering recommendations were tested over four years in the 1990s and have been confirmed as effective by 15 years of use. The water recommendations provided will keep your lawn green and healthy without wasting any water.
The SAWS Landscape Care Guide was created to help homeowners with low water landscapes to care for them in a manner that takes advantage of the water savings that are possible and at the same time maximizes the blooming and other performances of plants in the landscape.
The publication relies heavily on color photos to get its message across. It has sections on roses, attracting hummingbirds and butterflies, xeriscape, trees, lawns, herbs, perennials, annuals, pruning, insects, problem solutions and, of course, water.
The material is organized by season so you can know which plants are in their prime and which are past their prime and when tasks should be tackled to minimize work in getting the most out of your garden.
Some retail nurseries sell the Landscape Care Guide, but the best way to get it is to attend a SAWS sponsored event. Attendees at such events receive the publication free as an incentive to use the information to maintain a more beautiful, environmentally appropriate landscape.
To find a schedule of SAWS sponsored gardening events, visit the SAWS website.
Among the events listed where you can find the SAWS Landscape Care Guide are presentations by me, Mark Peterson and other authors of the publication that speak on environmentally appropriate gardening.
Last week I mentioned the new drip irrigation guide, Drip-Line Gardening by Ron Csehil and Dr. Tom Harris (www.the hillcountrygardener.com). One of the sections of that publication describes how you can convert a sprinkler irrigation zone to a drip irrigation zone. It is easy to do and appropriate if the zone waters trees, perennials, annuals, vegetables or shrubs. Drip irrigation is more efficient than a sprinkler because it puts the water at the soil level over the roots rather than in the air.
If you are a SAWS customer, you can even get a rebate if you make the conversion, $100 per zone converted up to $400.
There are other improvements you can make to your irrigation system that qualify for a rebate. For more information and an application, visit www.saws.org.
While you are at the website, SAWS customers can sign up for a free irrigation audit. The auditor will tell you how to save water on your landscape and, if you are interested, also advise you how to take advantage of new irrigation technology or simple steps to save money while maintaining an attractive landcape.
Calvin R. Finch is a horticulturist and director of special projects with San Antonio Water System. Contact him at Calvin.Finch@saws.org.
By David DeKunder - Staff Writer/Northeast Herald July 24, 2010-07-24
A decision by a Gonzales County water board last week could open the door for San Antonio to transport some of its water through Schertz's pipeline.
In a split vote, the Gonzales County Underground Water Conservation District July 13 approved a permit for San Antonio Water System to pump 11,687 acre-feet-of water from the Carrizo Aquifer.
The board's 3-2 vote sets up the possibility, through negotiations, that SAWS will transport its newly acquired water to San Antonio through a pipeline owned by the Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corporation, which provides water to and is owned by both cities. The pipeline runs from Gonzales County to Seguin and Schertz.
Ask the U.S. Ambassador to Support the Human Right to Water
For the first time since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted 60 years ago, the UN General Assembly is finally poised to recognize the Human Right to Water and Sanitation. Billions of people are suffering because the world is not focused on providing water and sanitation for all. A strong UN General Assembly resolution will signal that water and sanitation is a key priority for the international community.
Can you take action to make sure the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations supports the Human Right to Water?
Go to: http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4405