Wally's Water Wisdom - FOG

Hi friends!

With holiday season upon us, we can surely expect our kitchens to be filled with delicious food. Great for us, but not always for our drains. This is due to FOG deposits in our sewer system. No, not atmospheric fog! This FOG stands for fats, oils, and greases which, when poured down the drain, clog our sewer lines. This leads to a decrease in sewer system serviceability and a higher chance of wastewater spills into open water bodies.

Now that you know what FOG is, it’s important to know how to prevent FOG clogs. One way is to can and seal room temperature FOG for proper disposal in the trash can. However, there are many other ways to defend your drain from FOG deposits. For example, before washing oily or greasy dishes, use a napkin or paper towel to wipe away any excess FOG and make sure to put food scraps in the trash, not through the garbage disposal.

By keeping these tips in mind, we can prevent sewer blockages this holiday season and give our disposals a holiday too!

That’s all I have for today, friends! I wish you all a happy and FOG-free holiday and I’ll see you soon for my next drop of water wisdom.

With love,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom - This Week is American Education Week

Hi friends!

It’s Wally, and I’m here to celebrate American Education Week with you! American Education Week is celebrated annually prior to the week of Thanksgiving. This special week promotes the importance of education and shows gratuity towards teachers and those who provide students with quality education. This means parents, grandparents, bus drivers, custodians, librarians, and more!

The history of this celebration dates back to the early 1900’s, specifically after World War I. Distressed by the 25% illiteracy rate in WWI draftees, the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Legion met to discuss ways to generate public support for education. A solution came two years later in 1921 and resulted in what we now know as American Education Week. Fun fact: the first ever American Education Week was actually celebrated in December! (nea.org)

At IEUA, we love educating students about water conservation and environmental stewardship through our Water Discovery Field Trips! See how you can schedule your FREE Water Discovery Field Trip by visiting our Water Discovery webpage and filling out a Field Trip Request Form!

Well, that’s all I have for today, friends! I’ll see you guys soon for my next drop of water wisdom!

With love,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom-October is National Energy Awareness Month

Hello everyone, Wally here with some important news!

October is here and it doesn’t just mean sweet treats and haunted houses, it’s also National Energy Awareness Month! National Energy Awareness Month is aimed at promoting energy optimization and environmental well-being, something really important to us at IEUA. It’s a great way to understand the role energy plays in the world around us and take into consideration ways we can contribute to water and energy efficiency.

At IEUA, we’re always looking to make sure we are operating as efficiently as we can and generating as much clean energy as we can. Because of this, we’ve installed 3.5 megawatts of solar power at four of our facilities, a 1 megawatt wind turbine, and 4 megawatts of energy storage systems throughout our facilities. All of this would be able to power over 600 homes! WOW!

But there are easy ways you can contribute to water and energy efficiency, too! For example, only running full loads in the clothes washer and using cold water will save energy and 15-45 gallons of water per load. Taking 5-to-10-minute showers instead of baths and turning off the water while we brush our teeth are also really easy ways to contribute.

Celebrating National Energy Awareness Month is essential to ensuring ourselves, others, and future generations understand the concept of energy and its importance on national prosperity. But don’t limit yourself to just October, celebrate energy awareness all year long and know that you have the power to contribute to a more sustainable future!

Talk to you all soon!

Your friend,

Wally

WALLY’S WATER WISDOM—SUMMER PLANTING TIPS

Hello friends!

Summer is in the air and I’ve got some great tips to help keep those gardens bright, fresh and beautiful while protecting the environment at the same time!

Did you know that drip irrigation is one of the most efficient types of irrigation systems? Drip irrigation helps to reduce evaporation by delivering water directly to a plant’s roots and creates no pollution and no runoff. It is very important that plants are watered slowly because it allows water to soak into the soil and prevents water loss from runoff.

Irrigation systems are a large factor for not only plant growth, but for water conservation as well! While automatic controllers are an excellent tool, they can still waste about 50 percent more water outdoors when programmed incorrectly. If you are utilizing an automated irrigation system, it is essential to ensure the sprinkler head is faced the proper way (away from sidewalks, driveways and streets), the system is programmed according to your city’s requirements and verify the system is free of all leaks! Always remember to save water—irrigation systems should be turned off and left off until 48 hours after the rain stops.

Mulch is an excellent resource produced by a variety of different organic materials such as grass clippings, hay, shredded bark, etc. that can be utilized for reducing evaporation. The substance is often spread over the surface of soil in planting beds and around trees to help retain moisture. In addition to mulch, compost has many great benefits for gardening with a much healthier impact on our environment. Compost is made up of mixed organic matter that has been allowed to naturally decompose—creating rich nutrients for the soil that will help plants thrive. 

That's all the tips I have for now friends!

With love,

Wally