FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 2, 2005) -- For 17 years, Drinking Water Week has been celebrated nationally to raise public awareness about safe drinking water and water conservation.  Drinking Water Week is May 1-7 – an annual opportunity for everyone to celebrate and help ensure safe, reliable drinking water. 

We should all make water-responsible choices.  Consumers’ actions affect the quality of source water and the level of treatment required to provide safe drinking water.  To keep drinking water safe and treatment costs down, we need to be aware that what we do to the land affects our drinking water sources.

This is an excellent opportunity for the public to learn about safe drinking water and water conservation.  We can help our water utilities provide safe drinking water by becoming "water-wise."  We can protect water resources from pollution and reduce the amount of water we use daily. 

A few water-wise suggestions:

• Use water only when needed and turn off the faucet when finished.
• Turn off water while brushing teeth with toothpaste; turn it on to rinse, or rinse with water in a glass.
• Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator.
• Mulch around trees and plants to help retain water.
• When landscaping, think of xeriscaping, using drought-tolerant plants.
• Turn lights off when you don't need them. Water is often used to generate electricity.
• Don't stay in the shower longer than needed. Turn off the water while soaping up.
• Don't throw junk or litter into rivers or lakes. Save the habitat for fish and other aquatic life.
• Reduce the amount of water used in flushing by placing a plastic milk carton filled with water inside the toilet tank.
• Do not flush pharmaceuticals down toilets or any other drain.
• Repair leaky faucets in the home.

Contact your local water utility for more information on becoming water-wise in your community or contact the Kentucky Division of Water at (502) 564-3410.  The Division of Water offers household hints and tips for conserving water and protecting water quality on its Web page http://www.water.ky.gov/.  You can also call the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.  For stories on how Americans have celebrated Drinking Water Week, visit the AWWA scrapbook at http://www.awwa.org/advocacy/dww/.

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