Outdoor Water Conservation Tips
- To reduce evaporation, water your lawn in the early morning or in the evening– and never on a windy day. When you water during the heat of the day or on a windy day, the water just evaporates. Watering during the day can actually harm your lawn by causing it to “burn”. Use a sprinkler that produces drops of water rather than a fine mist, to avoid evaporation. Turn soaker hoses so that the holes are on the bottom to avoid evaporation.
- Learn to know when your grass needs watering. If it has turned a dull greygreen and when footprints remain visible as you walk across, it’s time to water.
- If small areas in your yard need more frequent watering (those near walks or driveways or in especially hot, sunny spots), use a watering can or hand water with the hose only in those areas.
- Learn what type of grass, shrubbery and plants do best in your area, and in which parts of your yard, and then plant accordingly. If you have a heavily shaded yard, no amount of water will make the roses bloom.
- You don’t have to be a horticulturist to have an attractive yard, but do learn about the plants you have so that you can water just enough to keep them healthy, and not enough to waste water or injure the plants.
- Place a layer of mulch around trees and plants so more water can be retained by the roots.
- Aerate the soil in the spring and fall to reduce runoff.
- Plant in the spring or fall, when watering requirements are lower.
- Wash the car with soap, water, and a bucket, using a hose with a shut-off nozzle for a quick final rinse. Do this on the grass so water serves to irrigate the lawn.
- Adjust sprinklers carefully so only the lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
- Cover pools and spas to cut down on evaporation.
- Longer grass means less evaporation. Let grass grow taller in hot dry weather by the setting the mower one notch higher.
- Water trees & shrubs using a hand-held hose with a nozzle end or a drip system.
- Install irrigation systems with automatic timers. The times can be programmed to turn the system on and off. Check for leaks in your irrigation system. Make every drop count. If you don’t have an automatic sprinkling system, use a kitchen timer or buy a sprinkler timer. You can waste a lot of water in a short time if you forget to turn off the sprinklers.
- Adjust your irrigation schedule to accommodate changes in seasonal water demand.
- Replace sprinklers with drip irrigation systems whenever possible.
- Use a broom, never a hose, to clean paved areas.
- Design landscapes appropriate for our water-use zone.
- Water retaining basins also allow water to be concentrated around the plants.
- Install one or more rain barrels under your downspouts.
