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Water Conservation Tips

• Store drinking water in your fridge rather than wasting tap water while you wait for it to get cold.  You can save as much as 300 gallons of water a month.
• Fill a pan of water to rinse vegetables instead of running water and save more than 200 gallons a month.
• Defrost foods in your fridge or microwave rather than under running water
• Use a partially filled sink to rinse dishes rather than running a constant stream of water.  Don’t use more detergent than you need and you’ll use less rinse water.
• Use low-flow showerheads or flow restrictors in regular showerheads to save between 500 and 800 gallons a month.       
• Don’t run the water while you brush your teeth- use short bursts instead.
• Use short bursts of water or swish your razor in a partially filled sink instead of running water while you shave and save 3 gallons of water a day.
• Shorten your shower by even 1 or 2 minutes and save up to 700 gallons of water a month. 
• Water your garden in the early morning to reduce waste through evaporation. Plants prefer this too.
• Mulch gardens so they retain moisture longer
• Consider replacing lawn areas with more drought-tolerant ground cover or ornamental grasses, shrubs or trees
• If you have to water your lawn, make sure you are not inadvertently watering the street or sidewalk.
• If you let your lawn grow longer, it retains moisture better and requires less watering. 
• Lawns need water only once a week – one hour will provide a good soaking which helps your lawn grow deeper roots to stay green longer
• De-thatch your lawn to encourage better root growth and prevent water run-off
• Repair toilet leaks.  Dye tablets can help you discover leaks.
• Replace your older toilet with an efficient 1.6 gallon per flush toilet
• Fixing a leaky faucet or pipe joint can save as much as 20 gallons of water per day.
• If you let water run waiting for hot water to come down the pipes, try catching the flow in a watering can to use later for plants or gardens and save 100 to 300 gallons of water a month.       

For more information on energy & water conservation, please contact us at 887-2555

Water Loss From A Dripping Faucet
That dripping faucet might not seem like much, but over time it really adds up.

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The Deep River and Stony Brook reservoirs, as well as emergency supplies at Fairview and Bog Meadow, are our sources for drinking water. To keep them free of any contaminants, they are restricted from any use by the public.

• There is no swimming, fishing, boating or skating permitted on the reservoirs.
• Please remind your children about the rules, and dangers of the reservoirs.

Even strong swimmers cannot swim in cold water. Let's keep our water supply safe, and our children safe too.

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You can buy energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs online at www.estarlights.com, by selecting the listing for Norwich Public Utilities.

Always consider your health first. If you suffer any conditions that are complicated by heat, make sure you are comfortable.

Heating

• Use a programmable thermostat to automatically control your furnace to lower temperatures when you are not at home, or when you are sleeping.  
• Keep your heating system well maintained so furnace filters are clean and ducts are clear. Ensure that vents are not covered by furniture.
• Ensure doors and windows are sealed with weather stripping or caulking.
• Close the damper on your wood-burning fireplace when not in use
• Consider purchasing a high efficiency furnace that wastes less fuel
• Make sure your home, including the ducts that run through your home are well insulated

Air Conditioning

• Set for 78°, 85° when you’re not home
• Use a programmable thermostat for central air
• Make sure your home is well insulated
• Conduct regular maintenance, change the filter
• Install and close shades on southern facing windows during the day
• Install ceiling fans to create more even air distribution
• If your system is over 15 years old, consider upgrading to a more energy efficient unit

Laundry

• Wash in cold – most energy used is to heat the water
• Wash full loads, or be sure to use the proper setting for the load size
• Line dry when you can, clean the dryer filter

Swimming Pools

• Use a solar blanket, or solar heating system
• Run your filter only a few hours each day

Dishes 

• Turn off heat dry cycle, opt for air dry
• Wash full loads
• Wash pots and other large dishes by hand

Lighting

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs: save 20% on lighting costs, and bulbs last 10 times longer!
• Use dimmers on incandescent bulbs

General Home

• Insulate properly – R30+ in the attic, R13 for wall, R19 in the floor (see more information at the Energy Star web site: http://www.energystar.gov)
• Replace old windows
• Check for cracks around windows and doors, seal with weather stripping or caulking

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General Energy Safety Tips

Always – Call Before You Dig! 1-800-922-4455
Do not start any excavation work until you have called this number.
 
Electricity has one destination – the ground!  It looks for ways to travel to the ground. If you touch the power lines or get hit by lightening, electricity will travel through your body. This can seriously hurt or kill you.

Stay away from downed power lines!  Teach your children the dangers of power lines – including telling them never to climb the utility poles, and never touch cables.

Never attempt to trim trees near power lines.  Only certified tree-trimmers should do this.

Natural gas is odorless before processing, but for safety reasons, an odorant is added so that a gas leak can be easily detected.  Similar to the smell of rotten eggs, natural gas has a distinctive smell.

If you smell a strong odor of gas, alert others inside and leave the home or building right away.  Do not turn lights on or off.  Call 860-887-7207 immediately from a phone outside the home or building.

Make sure that the electrical cords on appliances, lamps and other devices in your home are in good shape.  Replace frayed cords or loose fitting plugs.

Do not remove the ground pin/third prong of grounded-style cables.  It is an important safety device.

Don’t overload your outlet.  Use surge-protected power bars when necessary.

Replace blown fuses with the proper wattage fuse only. 

Keep electricity away from water!  Never use appliances near water or leave appliances where they can fall into water. Don’t use an electric lawn mower on wet grass or in the rain.

Don’t leave space heaters on while unattended.  Make sure the area around the heater is clear of any material or paper, or furniture.

Use caution with halogen lamps.  Halogen bulbs get very hot.  Floor or table lamps that get knocked over can cause a fire.  Consider replacing your halogen lighting with compact fluorescent lighting.

Get generator safety tips here.

Get more tips and information, including a Spanish language brochure at the Electrical Safety Foundation International at: http://www.nesf.org

For more information about how to save energy in your home, visit the ENERGY STAR web site: http://www.energystar.gov/

Norwich Utilities proudly promotes ENERGY STAR.

ENERGY STAR was created to help consumers easily identify products, homes, and buildings that save energy and money, and help protect the environment. As the government-backed, trusted symbol for energy efficiency, the ENERGY STAR label identifies highly efficient products and designates superior energy performance in homes and buildings.

See how much energy you are using with the energy calculator.

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