 summer 2007  thank you for signing up for the new enewsletter from the regional water providers consortium four times a year we ll give you the waterwise news you need plus helpful tips and event information take a look and be sure to send us your feedback  in the portland area water use doubles each summer and in response we re redoubling our water conservation efforts check out what s new this summer including a new media campaign with an important message  save a little help a lot  a newly designed userfriendly website a new water savings calculator   which helps you determine how much water your household uses and compares your usage to similar households a weekly et number that can help you determine how much water your lawn and garden need  if only our lawns and gardens could talk they d tell us if they were thirsty and we d never worry about watering too much or too little until your greenery develops the gift of gab we encourage you to use our weekly watering schedule  the schedule will help you determine when and how much to water based in part on weekly weather changes each thursday we post an evapotranspiration et number on our website combined with the weekly watering schedule the et number gives you the information you need to keep your lawn and garden thriving while using less water  our water smart bee could use your help in our two fun and interactive games  dripping faucets and washing machine basketball  your children can work with the water smart bee to save water while also learning the basics of water conservation  june 16 drake s 7 dees bring your kids for free refreshments plus lots of fun waterrelated activities and games with prizes  june 30 farmington gardens pick up a free water gauge and plant guide and learn how to landscape and irrigate for less money and with less water july 21 and aug 6 al s garden center learn watersaving landscaping tips win prizes and pick up some waterwise plants for 10 off all events are from 10 am to 2 pm   check out our website for a lengthy list of conservation tips to get you started here are a few summertime essentials  water less frequently but longer  deepsoak your lawn and most plants but only a few days a week to encourage deeper roots and greater water efficiency water when temperatures are cooler  to reduce evaporation water before 10 am or after 6 pm amend your soil  work organic soil amendments such as compost directly into your soil to improve its waterholding capabilities   regional water providers consortium provides planning and management support for the portland metropolitan region s municipal water supplies contact us to learn more   copyright 2007 all rights reserved if you would like to unsubscribe from this mailing list click here  summer 2007  