7 Tips to Save Water Outside 7 Tips to Save Water Outside saving water this summer is more important than ever—like in California, where residents are facing up to $500 in fines per day for outdoor water waste. How can you reduce your use? Check out these water-saving power moves. 1. Water in the Wee Hours Set sprinkler systems to water your lawn in a pre-dawn hours or post-sunset hours. Without the sun competing for your water, you’ll have more water going into the soil than evaporating. (You’ll also keep your water bill from evaporating the cash right out of your wallet!) This one step alone can lower evaporation by 40%, so you can water less frequently. 2. Make Your Own Rain OK, so maybe not make your own, but make better use of the rain Mother Nature is already giving you. Placing rain barrels under your gutters to collect storm runoff is a smart tip for keeping water usage down. You can then use the accumulated water to fill watering cans or buckets to water bushes, plants, and potted items on patios and balconies. 3. Spray Smart Here’s a pro tip: concrete is in a state of permanent drought; you don’t need to water it. Check all of your sprinklers to ensure that spray patterns keep water low and on the lawn and not spread out over sidewalks and driveways. You can also replace old sprinkler heads with highly directional ones to make sure your watering dollars are spent on things that grow. 4. Install Rain Sensors You dont need to double up on Mother Nature when she decides to show up. Installing rain sensors can override your sprinkler system’s settings so that you avoid over-watering when the rain comes. The EPA has an extensive list of rain-related sensor devices. 5. Stop the Pressure Washing Instead of using the hose to clean up around your driveway or patio, try a broom or leaf blower—no need to waste water on cleanup. A little elbow grease can keep those water bills where they belong: not scaring the daylights out of you. 6. Check for Leaks Sprinkler systems have multiple moving parts. Once a year, have a sprinkler system expert come out and inspect your system. An expert can determine if your system is operating at maximum efficiency and can help detect leaks both above and below ground where you might not think or be able to look. A simple inspection call can save you hundreds of dollars while saving water. 7. Consider Xeriscaping High-heat areas like Palm Desert, CA embrace xeriscaping, the practice of reducing or completely eliminating the need for water through irrigation. It’s likely you’ll remove most or all of your grass, but you’ll be replacing it with attractive landscaping rocks and paving stones along with foliage that has low water demands, like cacti or desert shrubs. It’s gorgeous and the cost of installation can easily be recouped in your first year with water bills your neighbors will envy.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 05:53:27 +0000
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