With summer in full swing, property water use and costs are increasing.
It’s summertime, which means temperatures and as a result, outdoor water use are on the rise. While it’s important to use water efficiently throughout the year, the summer heat requires increased attention to irrigation schedules.
In many areas, the amount of water multifamily and commercial properties use to sustain lush landscaping spikes in the summer – sometimes two to four times as much as the rest of the year. While buying a timer for your irrigation system seems like the obvious solution, more times than not the system is installed with set times and never seasonally adjusted; leading to more overwatering during the cooler months.
Experts estimate that 50 percent of the water we use outdoors goes to waste from evaporation, wind, or runoff due to overwatering.
Here are some tips to help keep your water use under control:
Timing is everything…
Know how much water your landscape actually needs before you set your sprinkler. Your local utility can offer recommendations for how much water certain plants need in your region and best times to water. Generally, it’s best to water lawns and landscapes in the early morning and evening, after the sun goes down, because significant amounts of water can be lost due to evaporation during the heat of the day.
Tune up your system…
Inspect irrigation systems and check for leaks and broken or clogged sprinkler heads.
Fix sprinkler heads that are broken or spraying on the sidewalk, street, or driveway.
Did you know? Just one broken sprinkler head can waste up to 25,000 gallons of water over a six-month irrigation season.
Separate your plants into zones…
When planting, assign areas of your landscape different hydrozones depending on sun/shade exposure, soil and plant types, and type of sprinklers, then adjust your irrigation system or watering schedule based on those zones’ specific needs. This helps you avoid overwatering some areas or underwatering others.
Even if your home doesn’t have a sprinkler system, there are a number of simple steps you can take
to promote a healthier lawn and garden with less water this summer:
Step on it…
Grass doesn’t always need water just because it’s hot out. Step on the lawn, and if the grass springs back, it doesn’t need water. An inexpensive soil moisture sensor can also show the amount of moisture at the plant’s roots and discourage overwatering.
Leave it long…
Raise your lawn mower blade. Longer grass promotes deeper root growth, resulting in a more drought-resistant lawn, reduced evaporation, and fewer weeds.
Give your hose a break…
Sweep driveways, sidewalks, and steps rather than hosing them off. And don’t forget to check for leaks at your spigot connection and tighten as necessary.
WaterSignal is a green technology company focused on water conservation. WaterSignal measures water flow in real-time to detect leaks and monitor domestic meters, irrigation systems, and cooling towers for commercial, multifamily, medical and educational properties. WaterSignal is located in Alpharetta, GA, and currently has operations in 16 states.
For more information call 877-704-0980, email save@watersignal.local or follow us on twitter @WaterSignal.