harry-truman0402

Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council

Serving Barton, Jasper, McDonald, and Newton Countys

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Economic Development

Water_fasuet

Drop the Drips

Did you know that just five drips per minute from a leaky faucet can waste 22  gallons of water in a month, and 263 gallons in a year?  One drip per second  wastes 8.6 gallons in one day, and more than 3,100 gallons in a year.  While it  may seem simple, fixing leaky fixtures around the house can add up to big water  savings, which is especially important during dry weather. The average person uses about 100 gallons of water in a day, so stopping that drip could save  enough water to meet the needs of one person for an entire month

Viewer Tip: Once you’ve repaired a leaky faucet, save even more water by adding an aerator.  You can find anaerator at your local home improvement store - they are inexpensive, easy to install, and can double the efficiency of your faucet. Look for EPA’s Water Sense label on some products, which indicates good performance in reducing water use!  Learn more at http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/index.htm

Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

(Sources: EPA Water Sense Program. A Day in the Life of a Drop. http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/docs/drop_guide508.pdf ; EPA Water Sense Program.Simple Steps to Save Water. http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/simplesteps.htm)

ants

Attack of the Ants

Ants are one of the most common and unwelcome household pests.  While rains  can help keep populations in-check by flooding nests and drowning adult ants, dry weather and drought can send them searching for food and water.  Warm, dry  summer weather is prime ant-invasion time!

Viewer Tip: There are easy steps you can take at home to keep ants at bay, and some environmentally friendly ways to tackle ants that  have already arrived.

  • Keep your kitchen tidy - store food in closed containers, wipe countertops and sinks, and keep dirty dishes and garbage cleaned-up.
  • Make sure hoses, spigots, and faucets are not dripping - water can attract  ants.
  • If ants have already shown up inside, give this home remedy at try: Mix a teaspoon of liquid dish soap with water in a spray bottle.  Spray intruders -  the solution will kill ants instantly, and mask the scent ants leave behind to help others find food.  Citrus oil and water also works.
  • If you need to buy a bait trap, look for one made with boric acid, which is less-toxic than some other insect-control chemicals
  • (Source: Sinks Alive! Ants Go Marching Indoors to Find Nourishment. http://www.ncs.edu/news/press_releases/02_08/201.htm ; National Geographic Green Guide. Pest Control - Ants. http://thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=74&sec=3 )

Under Construction

Harry S. Truman Coordinating Council
PO Box 388
Webb City, Missouri  64870
417-782-3515 Fax 417-782-2043
1-800-788-3515

Site update: August 12, 2008

Web master: scampbell@hstcc.org

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