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Home My WebLink AboutUBI 2011 JULCITY OF COLLEGE STATION leave footprints on the grass after walking on it, it’s time to water. If the grass springs back, just relax and enjoy your beautiful turf. Watering too much or too frequently results in shallow roots, weed growth, disease and fungus. For a healthier landscape, water deeply, as infrequently as possible. Setting your system to run for three, 5-minute intervals, lets the soil absorb more water than watering for 15 minutes at one time. SUMMER DO’S & DON’TS To help avoid water waste this summer, the City of College Station offers these suggestions: • DON’T water your lawn between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. • DON’T operate an irrigation system with broken sprinkler heads. • DON’T allow water to run off your property into the street or parking lot. • DO regular checks for water leaks and repair them. • DO mulch around trees and plants to retain soil moisture and to prevent evaporation. • DO cover hot tubs and pools to reduce evaporation losses. • DO use a broom, not a hose, to clean your driveway, patio or sidewalk. Inside College Station * * * * * * * City of College Station * Home of Texas A&M University® * College Station, Texas * * * * * * * This summer is shaping up to be a whopper of a year, in terms of water usage. College Station has already set three record months for water production in March, April and May. Those records were set before temperatures were consistently hitting sweltering heights. With this in mind, June and July are likely to set another record, so it’s especially important for water customers to use water as efficiently as possible. The Irrigation Association has named July Smart Irrigation Month to raise awareness of the benefits of efficient watering practices. Outdoor water usage accounts for up to 80 percent of home water use in the summer. Much of this is wasted through poor practices such as letting the water run onto the sidewalk, driveway or street. Automated irrigation systems offer convenience while protecting your landscape investment. Unfortunately, they are often used in a “set it and forget it” manner, resulting in improper watering and run-off. A well-maintained system, however, keeps your landscape beautiful and healthy, while minimizing water waste. DOES YOUR GRASS NEED WATER? Many lawns receive double the water amount needed to maintain a healthy turf. To determine if your grass needs water, give your lawn the footprint test: If you July 2011 Learn more at:cstx.gov/utilities IRRIGATION SYSTEM CHECK-UP To help residents identify irrigation problems that may be wasting water, College Station Water Services offers a free irrigation system check-up. This check- up helps locate leaks, identify broken or misdirected sprinkler heads, review how well your irrigation controller works and suggests run times for your lawn. To schedule a check-up, call 979.764.6223 or email Jennifer Nations, Water Services Coordinator at jnations@cstx.gov (please type “Irrigation Check-Up” in the subject). Learn more about Smart Irrigation Month at smartirrigationmonth.org. Find more water conservation tips at cstx.gov/water. Energy Conservation/Rebates 979.764.3724 Wind Watts/Wind Power 979.764.3535 cstx.gov/ucs e-Bill Sign-up 979.764.3535 cstx.gov/ucs e-Payments 979.764.EPAY (3729) epay.cstx.gov Credit Card Payments 979.764.3535 24/7 Utility Dispatch 979.764.3638 Be Mindful ofWATER WASTE Signing up is easy! Just visit cstx.gov/recycle or call 979.764.6228. We also offer options for commercial businesses and apartments that wish to recycle, please call for details! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Let’s Share the Road Keep roads safe for cyclists and motorists Cyclists should treat their bicycles like any motorized vehicle, obeying the same laws and sharing the same rights. They should ride as far right in the lane as possible. Cyclists can use an entire traffic lane under these conditions: when passing a slower vehicle, making a left turn, avoiding unsafe conditions or debris, or when the lane is too narrow. Some bicycle safety tips include: using clear hand signals, making sure your brakes work properly, wearing a helmet, and dressing in bright colored clothing. Motorists should view and treat cyclists the same as any other motorized vehicle on the road. They should avoid turning directly across the path of bicycle traffic, and should merge with bicycle traffic when preparing for a right turn. The most common car- bicycle collision occurs at intersections when bicyclists go straight and cars turn. It is best to wait for bicyclists to cross an intersection before turning. Learn more at the Texas Department of Public Safety website at txdps.state.tx.us. Want a College Station Bike Map and Info Guide? Visit cstx.gov/bikepedgreenways. customers to take advantage of these electronic bill and payment options called eBill and ePay. Both are easy and convenient. By signing up for eBill, you will receive your utility bill three to four days sooner than by regular mail. Your electronic bill notification contains a link to the ePay system where you can access your account to view your bill details and schedule an electronic payment. This paperless system not only saves the city printing and postage costs, (approximately $6 per customer annually), but it helps to conserve our natural resources. To enroll in the eBill program, simply go to cstx.gov/ebill. Once you sign up, you can also enroll for recurring payments using your bank or credit card. By doing so, your payment will be automatically processed on the due date. For more information about the eBill and ePay systems go to cstx.gov/ucs or contact a Utility Customer Service Representative at 979.764.3535. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . College Station Recycles Do you? Before you get ready to throw something in the trash, ask yourself if it can be recycled. Remember, most glass, aluminum and plastic bottles can be recycled. Always look for the recycle symbol on products. Recycling saves energy, conserves natural resources, reduces pollution and saves valuable landfill space. The City of College Station offers Curbside Recycling to single family homes, duplexes and most four-plexes for free. Items accepted in the Curbside Recycling Program include: white paper, phone books, newspapers, magazines, #1 and #2 plastic, aluminum/tin/steel cans, clear and brown glass, and lead acid car batteries. Each eligible residence is provided with clear plastic recycling bags to use to sort and store the recyclable materials. Once the bag is full, you can just place it on the edge of the curb by 8 a.m. on the scheduled recycling collection day. Recycling collection is provided once a week, on the same day as bulky items and brush collections. CITY OF COLLEGE STATION Kids Klub Looking for after-school care? Are you looking for after-school care options for your children? Look no further! Kids Klub is an enrichment and recreation- based after-school program, that serves kindergarten through sixth-grade students at each elementary and intermediate school in the College Station Independent School District (CSISD). This program is a joint venture through City of College Station Parks & Recreation and the CSISD Community Education Departments. Kids Klub runs from 3-6 p.m. on school days and offers a variety of activities. Registration begins Thursday, July 28. The first day of CSISD classes and Kids Klub will be on Monday, Aug. 22. There are eight days during the school year that Kids Klub will operate an All-Day Program from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fee for each day is $25 per child and must be paid at time of sign up. There is a 100-child limit for the All-Day Program. Registration begins Monday, Aug. 1 and the first All-Day will be Friday, Aug. 12. To register, visit csisd.org and click on the Student/Parent Info link and then the Kids Klub link. For more information about these programs, visit cstx.gov/kidsklub. DATES TO KNOW - Kids Klub registration begins July 28 - All-Day Program registration begins Aug. 1 - Kids Klub August All Days Aug. 12, 15-19 - Kids Klub/CSISD begins Aug. 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bill paying made easy Subscribe to eBill and ePay! Did you know that you can receive and pay your monthly utility bill electronically? College Station Utilities encourages Inside College Station July 2011 {PAGE 2}