Making Every Drop Count

This story was featured in the Northfield News.

Have you ever wondered where your tap water comes from? We rely on tap water daily for activities like drinking, laundry, showering, and more. Although it’s easy to turn on a faucet or flush a toilet, much more happens behind the scenes. Understanding that process might change your view on conserving the resource, even when we're not technically in a drought.

If you live in Northfield, your tap water comes from four wells that draw from the Jordan aquifer, a groundwater source. The water is treated to make it safe for household use, including filtering and disinfecting to remove debris and bacteria. It's then stored in a tank and distributed through large buried pipes (water mains) and smaller pipes (water lines). The Northfield Water Division provides safe water to over 18,000 people in more than 5,000 homes and businesses in the city.

Using high-quality treated water for non-consumptive purposes, such as watering your lawn and garden, is not the most efficient use of this valuable resource. Rain barrels are very effective tools for capturing and reusing rainwater, and the City of Northfield encourages homeowners to install them! Check out their website to learn more about the rain barrel rebate program.

A rain barrel in action.

Another alternative is to utilize native plants and install a rain garden. A rain garden is a shallow depression in the landscape designed to capture and absorb rainwater, allowing it to infiltrate the ground. This helps the soil to retain moisture and reduces the need for additional watering. This not only helps in reducing the risk of localized flooding but also improves the water quality of our rivers and lakes, and recharges aquifers. As luck would have it, the City of Northfield also has a rain garden rebate program! By taking advantage of these programs, you can make a significant difference in water conservation.

If you insist on watering your grass, consider investing in a WaterSense (weather-based) irrigation controller. These controllers determine when and how much to water by using local weather data and landscape conditions to tailor watering schedules. The City of Northfield reimburses homeowners with water conservation rebates for the cost of installing highly efficient clothes washers, showerheads, toilets, and weather-based irrigation controllers.

Employing any of these strategies can help reduce our reliance on treated water for outdoor purposes, preserving it for essential uses such as drinking, cooking, and sanitation. While you're conserving water, you're also protecting water sources from contamination and helping maintain the quality of our environment. Your efforts in conserving water are beneficial not just for you but for the entire community and our waterways. 

In conclusion, the responsibility of conserving treated tap water is not just on the authorities, but it's a duty we all share, regardless of drought conditions. By adopting water-saving practices, utilizing alternative water sources, and protecting our waterways, we can ensure that treated tap water is used efficiently and sustainably. Your role in this is crucial. Making every drop count is not just a slogan; it's a principle we must all uphold to secure a reliable water supply for current and future generations.