Public Works Department

The City of Spring Hill and the State of Kansas require all residents to call Kansas One-Call System, Inc. prior to digging in order to locate all utility lines in the excavation area.

Kansas One-Call will advise all local utilities such as gas, electric, cable and telephone in the area of your excavating except for the City provided utilities which are Street and Storm drains, Sewer lines and Water lines. After receiving your Locate Request Number please call Spring Hill Public Works at (913)592-3317. You will be asked for the Locate Request Number or Dig Safe Number; it is required prior to dispatching the City Workers as a validation that the Kansas One-Call System has been advised of your excavating.

Check your home for leaky faucets.
Be sure to wash only full loads of laundry.
Keep a jug of cold water in the refrigerator to avoid running water while waiting for the temperature to cool.

Cut your grass higher than usual. Taller grass holds water better, provides shade for roots and actually looks richer. Don�t bag it . . . just mow it and leave it. Grass clippings are 90 percent water, so they decompose very quickly, and in doing so, they return valuable nutrients to the soil, acting as a natural fertilizer.

Consider incorporating alternatives to lawn, such as rocks, bark, and other mulches, into your landscape. Also, mulches applied around planting beds aid in moisture retention and also discourage weed growth.

Routinely check your sprinkler systems for any misdirected, tilted, low or broken heads. Be sure to fix any problems as soon as you detect them to avoid wasting water on sidewalks and streets.

Nearly half the water used in residential areas in the hot, dry season is used on lawns and gardens. Water in the early morning � between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. It�s better than watering at dusk and helps prevent the growth of fungus on plants. Watering in the hot sun is not good for plants, and in the heat of the day most of the water evaporates anyway. Using a timer will allow you to water during the night and when away.

Water your lawn only if it needs it. Lawns don�t need to be watered every day. A good way to see if your lawn needs watering is to step on the grass. If it springs back up, it doesn�t need water.

Identify the location of the main water shut off valve in your home and the shut off valve on your water heater. Learning the locations of these valves may come in handy during an emergency.

Some common sources of leaks may include a toilet that is running, a constant drip in a sink or outdoor faucet, a loose or dripping washer connection, a hot water tank, a home water treatment unit, an evaporative cooler unit, or a sprinkler system.

Although most people will say their toilet does not leak, the most common water leak culprit is your toilet. There are a number of signs that a toilet needs some repairs, but many toilets leak without conspicuous indications of trouble. Here are some sure signs of a leaking toilet: If you have to jiggle the handle to make the toilet stop running, if you have to hold the handle down to allow the tank to empty, if there are any sounds coming from a toilet that is not being used.

California Urban Water Conservation Council -- A home tour will provide tips on water saving opportunities in each area of your home.

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California -- Water conservation is the most cost-effective and environmentally sound way to reduce our demand for water. This stretches our supplies farther, and protects places like Mono Lake. For example, the city of Los Angeles has grown by 1 million people since the 1970s, but still uses the same amount of water. Using less water also puts less pressure on our sewage treatment facilities, and uses less energy for water heating.

Some water trivia:

Tomatoes are 95% water.
The overall amount of water on our planet has remained the same for two billion years.
If all the water in the Great Lakes was spread evenly across the continental US, the ground would be covered with almost 10 feet of water.
About 6,800 gallons of water is required to grow a day's food for a family of four.
Eighty percent of the fresh water we use in the US is for irrigating crops.
Chickens and elephants have more water in their bodies than humans: chickens�75%, elephants�70%, and humans�66%.
The human brain is composed of 95% water; blood is 82% water; and the lungs are nearly 90% water.
Americans consume almost three billion gallons of bottled water a year. Eighteen to twenty-four year-olds are the largest consumers of bottled water.
A one-acre cornfield gives off 4,000 gallons of water per day in evaporation.
Over 90% of the world's fresh water is frozen and located in Antarctica.