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Steps to Take for Reducing Water Consumption Rates and Costs

While the prime purpose for installing a lawn sprinkler/irrigation system is to ensure healthy lawns and trees and vibrant gardens, there is an obligation on the part of the homeowner to use their system in a sensible fashion. The indiscriminate or inappropriate use of a watering system can have several adverse effects, such as:

  • Soil erosion
  • Water wastage
  • Excess surface run-off
  • Diminished lawn/plant health
  • Unreasonably expensive water bills

To minimize or eliminate these concerns, the lawn sprinkler and irrigation system specialists at A.A. Waters & Brookes offer the following sets of recommendations to help homeowners reduce their water consumption rates/costs, improve watering effectiveness, and maintain the health and curb appeal they want for their property.

Steps to Take for Reducing Water Consumption Rates and Costs
Steps to Take for Reducing Water Consumption Rates and Costs

Inspect and Monitor Your Existing System

  • Have the system’s overall efficiency inspected by a certified professional
  • Review water bill history for an unusual spike in usage – could mean a leak
  • Check the system/equipment throughout the season for breaks, leaks, damage
  • Invest in an annual service contract and mid-season checks

Choose Watering Times Carefully

  • Best between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. – low sun and cooler temperatures
  • Monitor the weather – avoid watering just before, during, or after rainstorms
  • Avoid mid-day use when winds tend to be higher (prevents water from drifting)
  • Abide by municipal guidelines for watering lawns/gardens (to avert possible fines)

Use the Appropriate Amount of Water

  • Adjust the length of watering time to compensate for weather/seasonal changes
  • Remove older spray nozzles and replace them with newer high-efficiency models
  • Consider the amounts of sun and shade for different areas and adjust accordingly
  • Water in short segments versus a continuous session – soaks in better; less run-off
  • Walk the property and inspect the lawns/gardens – which need water? which do not?
  • Use new weather-based controllers

Use the Correct Equipment and Settings

  • Install pressure-regulated sprinklers to avoid misting and therefore not waste water
  • Use sprinklers with pre-installed check valves to prevent pooling and drainage issues
  • Consider low-volume drip irrigation for trees, containers, and sparsely-planted areas
  • Do not mix-and-match different types of sprinklers; cannot assure uniform coverage

Make Sure the Water Reaches Its Targets

  • Adjust and routinely check sprinklers to ensure that they are watering the right areas
  • Install spray heads that minimize water loss due to misting and airborne evaporation
  • Keep spray path unimpeded – adjust sprinkler height to compensate for plant growth

Maintain Your Landscaping

  • Remove weeds and clear out debris to allow the water to reach its intended targets
  • Apply and refresh mulch to help with drainage, root development, moisture retention
  • Keep plants below the height of the spray from sprinklers or request the sprinklers be raised or altered

For additional insight on any of the above recommendations and/or to discuss upgrades to your current system and equipment to help in reducing your water consumption rates, call the lawn sprinkler and irrigation system professionals from A.A. Waters & Brookes today at 416-665-0052 to arrange a time for an informative and complimentary consultation.