WATER FOR DRINKING. FOR LIVING. FOREVER.

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1 A PUBLIC SERVICE OF UNITED TOMS RIVER GROW A GORGEOUS GARDEN...WITH LESS! PAGE 4 FOR DRINKING. FOR LIVING. FOREVER. YOUR GUIDE TO CONSERVATION HOW MUCH DOES MY LAWN REALLY NEED? PAGE 6 SPECIAL SAVINGS ON CONSERVATION KITS. PAGE 8

2 United Water Toms River 15 ADAFRE AVENUE TOMS RIVER, NJ MANAGEMENT Nadine Leslie VP & GENERAL MANAGER Curt Nemeth MANAGER, OPERATIONS Robert Woodcock OPERATIONS ENGINEER Joseph Meyer SUPERINTENDENT, SYSTEM MAINTENANCE Juan Donoso SUPERINTENDENT, PRODUCTION Jane Kunka MANAGER, PUBLIC AFFAIRS Dear Customer: Whether you re a gardener, a gourmet cook or a do-it-yourselfer, you can save water, money and energy. In the pages that follow, there s something for everyone who wants to conserve water and protect our natural resources. At United Water we believe that making the planet sustainable is the best job on Earth. We make it a priority to safeguard our water supply so we can provide you with clean water every time you turn on the tap. As United Water employees, we re proud to be part of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, the only worldwide company dedicated to the environment. In this role we have a special commitment to deliver the essentials of life and to protect our water supplies for generations to come. As a customer, you can help by using water wisely and sharing these suggestions with others. Please read this guide and select the conservation methods that work best for you. Your efforts will make an important difference in protecting our planet. Sincerely, Nadine Leslie Vice President & General Manager 2 Look for the WaterSense label to choose quality, water-efficient products. The label means the product meets the United States Environmental Protection Agency s specifications for performance. United Water is a partner in the EPA WaterSense program that makes it easy for Americans to save water and protect the environment. For more information please visit the U.S. EPA website at epa.gov/watersense.

3 HOME GROWN GREEN LOTS LESS The average American uses about 100 gallons of water every day. By installing more efficient water fixtures and repairing leaks, families can reduce indoor water use by about 35 percent. CHILL OUT! Keep a pitcher of tap water in the refrigerator instead of running the faucet for cold water. GET FLUSH WITH SAVINGS Install a WaterSense labeled toilet. It will use 20 percent less water while offering equal or superior performance. Check for toilet leaks by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 15 minutes. Install a WaterSense labeled aerator or faucet. It will increase the faucet s efficiency by 30 percent without sacrificing performance. Repair dripping faucets and showerheads. One drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons per year. GO GREEN INSIDE CLEAN UP YOUR COSTS A full bathtub can require up to 70 gallons of water, while taking a 5-minute shower uses only 10 to 25 gallons. Low flow showerheads help save even more. Turn off the tap while you brush your teeth to save 8 gallons per day. Replace your old washing machine with a high- efficiency, ENERGY STAR labeled model. It will use up to 50 percent less water and electricity. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes or lower the water settings for smaller loads. Source: epa.gov/watersense 3

4 GORGEOUS GARDEN LOTS LESS Our yards are great places to relax and unwind. If you have a green thumb, try planting a xeriscape or conservation garden. By following low-water landscaping techniques, you can create a beautiful garden with low water and maintenance needs. Derived from the Greek word xeros, meaning dry, xeriscapes use native plants that are drought tolerant and gardening techniques that minimize water use. PLANNING & DESIGN SOIL IMPROVEMENTS PLANT SELECTION EFFICIENT IRRIGATION Take time to plan your Good soil conditions help A wide variety of low water If additional water is needed, garden. Consider soil and reduce water needs. Before use trees, shrubs, flowers install drip or trickle irrigation light conditions, drainage, you plant your garden be and ground covers can systems. These are designed maintenance level desired, sure to mix compost or peat be used to grow a colorful to use water efficiently and family interests and your moss into the soil. This organic conservation garden. are available from local budget. Limit the use of matter will help the soil retain Many require watering only garden centers. plants with high water needs. water. If your yard is sloped, in the first or second year Group plants with similar you can use terraces and after planting. water needs and place retaining walls to reduce plants that require the least water run-off. water the furthest from your home. GROW GREEN OUTSIDE 4

5 SAMPLE PLANTS FOR NEW JERSEY PRACTICAL LAWNS Limit the amount of area you devote to a lawn and select grass varieties like fine fescues that require less water and maintenance. Plant groundcovers in areas that are difficult to mow. To reduce water usage even further, read about ET lawn watering on next page. EFFECTIVE USE OF MULCH Mulch helps keep the soil moist, smothers weeds and prevents erosion. Use mulches such as shredded bark, shredded leaves, pine needles or gravel in a layer two inches deep. GROUND COVERS Candytuft Goldmoss Sedum Lamb s Ear Periwinkle Silver Mound Artemisia Stonecrop MAINTENANCE IS ESSENTIAL SHRUBS & TREES Properly timed pruning, fertilization, pest control and weeding will preserve your landscape s beauty. Please be sure to use pesticides and fertilizers according to directions. Adam s Needle Blue Carpet Juniper Blue Maid Holly Bluebeard Golden Dust Plant Golden Sword Yucca Hollywood Juniper Korean Spice Viburnum Northern Bayberry Winter King Hawthorn PERENNIALS Autumn Joy Sedum Black-eyed Susan Coral Bells Michaelmas Daisy Montauk Daisy Purple Coneflower Tickseed Woody Yarrow Yarrow WISELY Water your lawn or garden during the cool morning hours to reduce evaporation. Don t water on windy days. Look for sprinklers that produce droplets, not mist. You can also use soaker hoses or trickle irrigation. Make sure there are no leaks in your hose or sprinklers. Set sprinklers to water lawns and gardens only, not the pavement. Be sure your hose has a shut-off nozzle. A hose without a nozzle can spout 10 gallons or more a minute. Don t over fertilize because that increases the need for water. Raise your lawn mower blade to at least 3 inches. Taller grass holds soil moisture better than a closely cropped lawn. If you have a pool, use a cover to slow evaporation. It will keep your pool cleaner and reduce the need to add chemicals. When washing the car, apply soap and water from a bucket, then use a hose with a shut-off nozzle for a quick final rinse. Use a broom or leaf blower, not a hose, to clean your sidewalk or driveway. 5

6 GREAT GREEN LAWN LOTS LESS We all love a green lawn. But did you know that your lawn may account for nearly 50 percent of your summer water usage? Now you can keep it green while saving water and money. Our ET program short for EvapoTranspiration takes the guess work out of lawn watering. We partner with experts through evaporation and needs based on the day s your lawn can stay green from the South Jersey moisture loss from plants weather conditions. All you and healthy. And, you can Resource Conservation and through transpiration. Using have to do is check the reduce your summer water Development Council who this information, they calculate daily ET number to find usage by up to 25 percent help determine when your a daily ET number. That s out exactly how much and lower your water bill by lawn needs watering. They the optimal amount of water water that your lawn needs. up to $200. measure water loss from soil the average lawn truly By following the ET program, FIND TODAY S ET NUMBER Once you have the ET number, use the chart below to determine how long to water your lawn. The ET number indicates the number of inches of water your lawn needs. The average sprinkler delivers about one inch of water per hour. With ET you typically need to water your lawn every four days. The best time to water is before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. BY PHONE ET Hotline ext after 8 a.m. ON THE WEB unitedwater.com sjrcd.org/public/ tomsriver.html WOBMAM.com ON THE RADIO WOBM-AM M Th, 6 7 a.m. ET NUMBER MINUTES OF ING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION L.J.H. LANDSCAPING/ LAWNCARE Toms River, NJ RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION njaes.rutgers.edu UNITED unitedwater.com VISIT OUR DEMONSTRATION GARDEN 15 Adafre Avenue Toms River, NJ 6

7 CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER United Water s ebilling program is an easy and secure way to pay your water bill while helping the environment. By opting to have your water bill sent directly into your inbox, you can help us protect and conserve our natural resources. HERE S HOW ebilling HELPS THE ENVIRONMENT We send over 4.6 million paper bills to our customers nationwide every year. As a result, these paper bills have a dramatic impact on the environment: tons of paper are used 239 tons of trees are destroyed 1.9 million gallons of water are used 604,431 pounds of greenhouse gases are emitted 69 Devoe Place Hackensack, NJ OFFICE HOURS: Monday Friday, 8 a.m. 4:30 p.m. PHONE: FAX: EMERGENCIES: To enroll in ebilling and protect the environment, call us at or visit unitedwater.com. PAYMENT OPTIONS UW CARES UW Cares provides financial assistance to customers who have trouble paying their water bills. Grants are reviewed and processed through social services agencies in our community. There are several ways to pay your bill: By mail By phone Electronically IF YOU NEED HELP If you need assistance paying your water bill, please CALL UNITED : CALL UW CARES: VISIT: uwcares.org. IF YOU WANT TO HELP United Water provides the majority of funding to support these grants. Now you can contribute too. Your gift can help provide essential water service to someone in your community. One hundred percent of your contribution will go directly to help your neighbors in need! Because UW Cares is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, your gift is tax deductible. On line In person Call us for more information or visit us at unitedwater.com. 7

8 SAVING MAKES DOLLARS AND SENSE ORDER YOUR CONSERVATION KIT NOW! So stop pouring water and money down the drain. Our conservation program can help reduce your water use by up to 25 percent. It will also help you save money on your water and energy bills. The more you conserve, the more you save! United Water has partnered with Niagara Conservation to offer you high quality conservation products at significant savings. We re pleased to offer our customers special pricing on three water-saving kits. The price includes shipping, handling and taxes, where applicable. TO PURCHASE A -SAVING KIT ON THE WEB waterconservationproducts.com STANDARD -SAVING KIT $5 00 (Retail value $30.00) OUTDOOR LANDSCAPE KIT $7 00 (Retail value $40.00) DELUXE -SAVING KIT $15 00 (Retail value $65.00) BY MAIL Complete and return the coupon below. MAIL TO: United Water Communications Dept. 200 Old Hook Road Harrington Park, NJ Name Address Please make check payable to: NIAGARA CONSERVATION City State Zip Check the box or boxes below and enter the number of kits you would like to order. Standard Kit: $5.00 Quantity: Outdoor Landscape Kit: $7.00 Quantity: Deluxe Kit: $15.00 Quantity: