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Conservation

Request an Audit
Volusia County Utility Customers only.
Please email your request, include your address, account number and a valid phone number with the best time to contact to: wlindberg@co.volusia.fl.us or dwise@co.volusia.fl.us

10 Conservation Tips

1. Economize. Wasted water can be wasted money. Thousands of gallons go down the drain needlessly everyday. Be conscious of the amount of water you use.
2. Repair leaks. A leak of one drop per second wastes 2,400 gallons per year.
3. Install water-savings devices. Use low-flow shower heads, aerators and toilet displacement products.
4. Clean vegetables using water in a pan and a vegetable brush rather than letting the tap run needlessly.
5. Wash only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher
6. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
7. Use lawn sprinklers only when grass shows signs of stress, wilting or discoloration, or when footprints are visible after you have walked on it.
8. Add a rain sensor device to your sprinkler system to automatically shut off water when it rains
9. Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
10. Consider Xeriscape, the concept of planting native, drought-tolerant plants in your yards. Newly planted Xeriscapes requires irrigation during the establishment period. Then natural rainfall is the only irrigation they require.  Find out more about Xeriscape by contacting the County Extension Service.

Rebates Available – Volusia County Utilities
Fiscal year 2010 is bringing more opportunities for rebates in our continuing effort to promote and educate Volusia County citizen’s and customers regarding Water Conservation.

Rain Garden brochure [PDF]
Need the Acrobat Reader? Click here to download.

Low Flow Shower Head
Water use by showerheads is typically the third largest source of indoor residential water demand. Low volume shower heads have a maximum of 2.5 gallons per minute where moderate-to-high volume heads can use up to 8.0 gallons per minute. Last year, low flow showerheads were made available free to our customers if they turned in their old water guzzling ones and installed the low volume units in their place.

Rain Barrels
Residential irrigation can account for 50% of residential water use. Rain barrels not only store water, they help decrease demand during the summer months. Only ¼ inch rainfall runoff from the average roof will completely fill a typical barrel. Collection of water from rooftop runoff can provide an ample supply of free “soft water” containing no chlorine, lime or calcium. Collecting this water will reduce your demand for treated tap water, and save money by lowering your monthly bill. Rainwater diversion will also help decrease the burden on water treatment facilities and municipal drainage systems during storms. The storage of rainwater is also recommended for general emergency preparedness, or for areas prone to drought. A good formula to remember: 1 inch of rain on a 1000 square foot roof yields 623 gallons of water. Calculate the yield of your roof by multiplying the square footage of your roof by 623 and divide by 1000. Rainwater harvesting is an old fashioned method of obtaining water but is making a comeback due to the need for water conservation. Many web sites have information available on rain barrels, even how to make your own.

Ultra Low Volume Toilets
Since the mid 1990's, all new toilets have been redesigned to conserve water, reducing the usage from 3 gallons per flush to 1.6 gallons per flush. Recent technology has further reduced the amount of water to 1.28 gallons. Volusia County Water Resources and Utilities is now offering a $50.00 credit to their customer's water bill, if the customer installs a new high efficiency toilet (HET) that uses 1.28 gallons or less. Please contact the Volusia County Utility for more information and rebate forms.

High Efficiency Washers
The average American family washes almost 400 loads of laundry each year. Families can cut their energy costs by more than one third  and the water costs by more than half — just by purchasing a new high efficiency clothes washer. Over the life of your new qualified washer, you’ll save enough money in operating costs to pay for the matching dryer.
Volusia County is offering up to a $100.00 credit to their customer's water bill if they purchase a qualifying washer.

Rain Sensors
Rain sensor devices automatically shut off automatic sprinkler systems during and after rain showers and allow the systems to go back to a normal cycle when the sensor dries out. These devices save a tremendous amount of otherwise wasted irrigation water. Volusia County amended its Water Conservation Ordinance 2000-34 requiring installation of rain sensor devices on all automatic sprinkler systems, old and new. All automatic sprinkler systems installed after May 1991 have been required by state law (Florida Statue 373.62) to have rain sensor devices

High Efficiency Dishwashers
If you wash dishes by hand or use an old dishwasher, switch to a new high efficiency model to save money on your utility bill. Qualified models use 31% less energy and 33% less water than conventional machines while delivering superior cleaning performance. Do you have a dishwasher manufactured before 1994? If so, you’re paying an extra $40 each year on your utility bill as compared to owning a new high efficiency qualified model. Replace one of these old dishwashers and save enough money to pay for your dishwasher detergent all year. Rebates available for Volusia County Utility customers.

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