Water Watch
Tips to Remember...
We compiled these lists for you so that you can incorporate some of these ideas into your life-style. Sit down with your family and review the steps you're taking to conserve water. Then check off the ones you'd like to start now. Remember, there's always enough water to use, but never enough to waste.
Outdoors
- Give your lawn mower a maintenance check. Clean the air filter, change the spark plugs and sharpen the blade.A dull cut needs more water to repair itself than a sharp cut.
- Change your lawn cutting pattern from week to week.
- Set your automatic irrigation clock according to the monthly schedules given in the newsletter.
- Use a 3 program clock. A for lawns, B for landscape, 3 for drip.
- Split your watering time into thirds.
- When calculating for drip, remember that its gallons per hour, not gallons per minute, flowing through your drip emitters.
- When daytime temperatures exceed 90 degrees, water the yard for one cycle to replace the water it lost during transpiration.
- Learn how to operate your irrigation clock manually.
- Don't water your yard in the heat of the day.
- Use common sense. Ask yourself, "Can I water one day less?"
- Check that all irrigation heads are hitting their target areas.
- Check your irrigation system bimonthly because it is mechanical and can get out of adjustment.
- When a sprinkler malfunctions, check the pipe for debris. Remove the sprinkler nozzle, turn on the system and run the water until it runs clean.
- Check all sprinkler heads for clogs, insects and debris.
- Restrict a little. Save a lot. Install WaterSavers into all existing landscape risers. Install PCD's into the lawn pop-ups.
- Repair leaky faucets and bad hose connections.
- Replace broken sprinklers.
- Use hose-end shut-off valves for hand watering.
- If your irrigation system isn't automated, use a kitchen timer to remind you when to turn it off.
- "Ring" your sprinkler heads. Take your weed-eater and cut a ring shape around each head.
- Water dry spots on the lawn with a hose and sprinkler instead of turning on the entire system.
- Lawns prefer a deep watering rather than short frequent waterings because it encourages deep roots.
- Covering drains in the landscape with plastic keeps the water in the yard instead of allowing it to run into the street.
- Dig basins around trees and vegetables such as squash, melons and tomatoes to collect water.
- Vegetables planted closely together will shade the soil and discourage weeds.
- Plant annuals in only the most important display areas.
- Select plants that don't require more water than the yearly rainfall in your area.
- Mulch exposed soil and landscape areas to control weeds and water loss.
- Sweep driveways and sidewalks rather than hosing them off.
- Cover pools and spas when not in use.
Indoors
- Education is the first tool in managing water.
- Teach your children not to play with water.
- Never allow water to run needlessly.
- Wash your dishes in a basin with biodegradable soap so you can recycle it.
- Put water restrictors on all the faucets and showers.
- Take shorter showers.
- While waiting for the water to warm up, catch it in a bucket and water your houseplants with it.
- Load your washing machine and dishwasher to its full capacity whenever you use it.
- Insulate your hot water pipes.
'Better Care Through Integrated Pest Management'
