We can reduce our impact on the aquifer with simple acts like eliminating leaky faucets, switching to showers instead of baths, and washing full loads rather than partial loads of cloths or dishes. There are many tips available at this USA EPA website, while it remains up. We can all encourage our family and friends to adopt Aquifer Friendly lifestyles. If you have children, turn it into a game to see what ideas they suggest like no bath Friday.
If gardening is something you enjoy, adopt Aquifer Friendly methods capturing rainwater for irrigation and planting drought tolerant plants. Here is a link to three Aquifer Friendly Landscaping models: Florida Springs Institute, UF’s IFAS, and Ecological Landscaping. Whether you garden or not, you may know someone who does and would appreciate a drought tolerant plant such as the Blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella.) Though non-native, it grows readily through the year, will grow in a container, and is drought and light freeze tolerant.
Though our water district continues to issue consumptive use permits beyond what is sustainable, we, as individuals, can change the wasteful water culture one drop at a time.
OSFR President Joanne Tremblay
joanne.tremblay@oursantaferiver.org
“Giving Our River A Voice”
