Hundreds of desert plants are available for just about any function in your landscape. Would you like to attract birds or butterflies to your yard? Desert plants are up for the challenge! Perhaps you are looking for year-round color, or how about a living fence or a cool, shady retreat? And desert plants not only save water, a precious Arizona resource, they have special characteristics that help them thrive in our tough desert conditions including heat, alkaline soils and even winter frost.

The Water – Use It Wisely site is filled with plant details including plant selection ideas, plant care and watering details. And if you have a water-thirsty landscape, we’ll tell you how to remove grass and install a water-saving, colorful, thriving Xeriscape instead. After all, there are a number of ways to save water and they all start with you. Water. Use It Wisely.

For more information, watch her interview on “Your Life A to Z” on local Channel 3:

Furthermore, since up to 70% of your water use is outdoors, choosing a xeriscape landscape for your yard can help you conserve water and save on your utility bills.

Watch the interview on “Your Life A to Z” on local Channel 3 here:

Watch her interview on “Your Life A to Z” on local Channel 3 here:

Stay tuned for the next segment of Water – Use It Wisely on TV!

Water – Use It Wisely is being featured on Arizona’s local Channel 3′s Your Life A to Z with some easy and practical ways to save water. Arizona Regional Campaign Water Partner, the City of Mesa, sent their Conservation Specialist, Donna DiFrancesco, to be interviewed by Lisa Haffner on this special segment on outdoor water use.

Check out the video on our YouTube Channel here:

For more information about landscape care and to see our landscape guides, please click here.

Next week’s segment: Take The Home Water Challenge and Find Those Sneaky Leaks. Stay tuned!

Check out the video on our YouTube Channel here:

For more information about overseeding, read our blog post on the topic here.

Next week’s segment: Reduce Your Outdoor Water Use. Stay tuned!

Fix a Leak Week, March 14-20, is meant to encourage water conservation by repairing common types of leaks found in the home include leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets, shower heads, irrigation systems and other leaking valves. Water leaks can add up to as many as 10,000 gallons of water wasted each year in your home. That is enough to fill a backyard swimming pool.

To lead by example, the City of Mesa has an active leak detection program that uses radio technology for listening to leaks called permaloggers. Approximately 400 permaloggers are in place throughout the water distribution system to listen for leaks in pipelines. The use of these loggers gives the City flexibility to repair a leak during normal business hours in a more controlled environment rather than at night or on weekends during an emergency situation. Leak detection and other system audits help to prevent and detect leaks and ensure that water is being delivered at optimal efficiency.

“Fixing leaks is easy to do, low cost and can save homeowners as much as ten percent or more on their water bills,” Mesa Conservation Specialist Donna DiFrancesco said. “And, because of our desert conditions, fixing leaks can help conserve our water supply for generations to come.”

Mesa water customer, Jacob Lozano checks out what’s inside the free Fix a Leak Week kit.

The City is offering free Fix a Leak Week kits that includes dye tabs to check for toilet leaks; a drip cup to determine how many gallons of water are wasted each day, month and year from a simple dripping faucet; and a measuring device to determine the number of gallons used by your showerhead. Customers can pick up a kit at one of the following locations:

• Mesa Main Library, 64 E. 1st St.
• Red Mountain Branch Library, 635 N. Power Road
• Dobson Ranch Branch Library, 2425 S. Dobson Road
• Municipal Building, 55 N. Center St.
• East Mesa Service Center, 6935 E. Decatur St.

As part of Fix a Leak Week, the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association (AMWUA), whose members include the municipalities of Avondale, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe (all are also Water –Use It Wisely partners) will host the inaugural “We’re for Water 4-Mile Race” at 8 a.m. on Saturday, March 19 at Rio Vista Community Park in Peoria. Registration is just $25 and includes a snack, t-shirt and reusable water bottle. The event also will feature music, food and hands-on demonstrations for leak repair.

To register or to learn more about Fix a Leak Week visit www.fixaleakweekaz.com.

Today marks “World Water Day,” and National Geographic is offering a free download of its extraordinary water issue. The pictures are nothing short of phenomenal.

Drink up.

Water – Use It Wisely founder, Park Howell was named the 2010 “Ad Person of the Year” at the 25th Annual ADDY Awards held this past weekend in Phoenix. The ADDY’s are an extension of the American Advertising Federation and are held each year to recognize the top advertising campaigns and individuals in the state.

It was great to see Park recognized by his peers for his contributions to the industry over the last 25 years. But the most gratifying part of Park’s win is being recognized for the difference he’s made in the community and his passion for causes, including Water – Use It Wisely.

Park’s been instrumental in growing Water – Use It Wisely from its humble beginnings in Arizona to one of the world’s largest water conservation campaigns. It’s Park’s drive that’s given rise to Water – Use Wisely and it’s what ultimately won him the “Ad Person of the Year” too. Knowing Park he’s likely to deflect any praise to those who’ve worked with him throughout the years but we’d like to take the time to recognize him for his victory and all of his accomplishments. Congratulations Park! You deserve it. Check out the official press release here.