Phoenix official offers water-saving tips amid excessive heat

THE TEMPERATURES REACHED ABOUT 112 TODAY AND RIGHT NOW LOOKING AT OUR FOX 10 WEATHER APP. IT IS 99 DEGREES OUT HERE, AND I CAN CONFIRM IT IS A LITTLE TOASTY THIS WEEK COMPARED TO LAST WEEK. NOW AS YOU JUST SAID, OUR BILLS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO WATER. NOT SO MUCH INSIDE THE HOUSE. BUT OUTSIDE LIVING IN THE DESERT MEANS CONSERVING WATER

IS A TOP PRIORITY, EVEN WHILE TRYING TO KEEP YOURSELF COOL. THERE IS AN INCREASE WE SEE ABOUT 75% MORE WATER USE DURING THE SUMMERTIME MEDICINE GLE FAMILY HOME, THEN WE SEE DURING THE WINTERTIME, THE AVERAGE 329 GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY RANGING FROM 245 GALLONS IN THE WINTER TO 427 GALLONS PER DAY IN THE SUMMER. MAX WILSON WITH THE CITY OF PHOENIX, SAYS MOST OF THAT

WATER IS BEING USED OUTSIDE THE BEST WAY TO CONSERVE WATER IN THE SUMMER AGAINST TO START OUTSIDE. ABOUT 60% OF YOUR WATER USE IS ACTUALLY OUTSIDE YOUR PLANTS. IT'S ALL OF THAT OTHER STUFF. THE GUESSWORK OUT, THE CITY OF PHOENIX HAS CREATED A DIGITAL PLANT WATERING GUIDE EXPLAINING HOW MUCH AND OFTEN TO WATER YOUR PLANTS OUTSIDE. THEY NEED MORE WATER WHEN IT'S HOT LIKE THIS, BUT

WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT GIVING THOSE PLANTS EVEN MORE THAN THEY ACTUALLY NEED. SO TO DO THAT. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT WATERING ANY OF YOUR PLANTS, EVEN YOUR GRASS MORE THAN A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK. THE GUIDE SUGGESTS WATERING GRASS TO A DEPTH OF 6 TO 10 INCHES. YOU CAN USE A LONG SCREWED DRIVER TO TEST THE

DEPTH OR IF YOU HAVE SPRINKLERS PUT A FEW CANS OUT TO COLLECT WATER TO SEE HOW MUCH IT'S BEING WATERED NOW, FOR SMALL PLANTS, LIKE ANNUALS OR GROUND COVERS WATER ABOUT A FOOT DEEP. FOR LARGE PLANTS LIKE TREES, WATER ABOUT 3 FT AND FOR MORE ESTABLISHED PLANTS. MOST WATER ABSORBING ROOTS ARE LOCATED NEAR THE DRIP LINE, WHICH IS BENEATH THE PLANTS. CANOPY CONSERVATION ISN'T SOMETHING THAT

WE JUST DO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE DESERT. IT'S PART OF OUR LIFESTYLE. IT'S PART OF WHY WE CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE. THAT BEING SAID, OBVIOUSLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE AS THOUGHTFUL AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN BE WITH OUR WATER USE. DURING TIMES OF SHORTAGE IN CRISIS LIKE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. AND OF COURSE, THE BEST TIME TO WATER IS ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW,

SO CAN'T EVAPORATE THAT WATER. INSTEAD THE WATER CAN SINK DOWN TO THOSE ROOTS. AND ALSO A GOOD TIP IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FIX ANY LEAKY FACETS. AND IF IT DOES RAIN, YOU CAN COLLECT IT IN BUCKETS OR MAYBE EVEN A SMALL LITTLE POOL AND YOU COULD USE THOSE FOR YOUR PLANTS AND GRASS AS WELL. REPORTING LIVE TONIGHT. STEPHANIE BENNETT, FOX TEND NEWS. BIG CHANGE

FROM WINTER TO