City asks you to water responsibly - Daily Democrat Online

July is Smart Irrigation Month. Most homeowners tend to overwater their lawn or waste water through inefficient practices, according to Joyce Jones, temporary water conservation coordinator.

Adopting water-savvy routines is essential to maintaining and extending our community's water supply, especially during peak use. The key to efficient outdoor irrigation is applying just enough water and only when necessary. Water-wise habits will conserve water and result in a healthier lawn and landscape. The Irrigation Association named July Smart Irrigation Month to provide tips about smart practices and new technology.

Directions for your Irrigation Timers

You only need to worry about your irrigation timer four times a year.

• In the spring, turn your timer back on to water no more than 3 days a week when the weather warms up and the soil starts to dry out. These are perfect times to look over your irrigation system and fix broken sprinkler heads or other problems.

• In the summer, once it starts getting really warm outside, you can turn up your watering a bit. Remember to turn off the sprinklers for 15 minutes halfway through your complete watering time to allow the soil to absorb the water and prevent water run-off. Best watering plan for our clay soil: water for ten minutes, wait ten minutes for the water to absorb into the soil, and then water for another ten minutes.

• Early fall, as the weather cools down, you can adjust your timers to water less.

• Late fall, when it starts raining, turn your timer off.Public Works encourages all community members to help conserve water by participating in Smart Irrigation Month. During the month of July, take time to check your irrigation systems for leaks.Also be sure your system is set to water in the early morning hours to conserve water (the hours between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. are the best for watering your lawn). For more information on Smart Irrigation Month, visit the website: http://www.smartirrigationmonth.org.

via dailydemocrat.com

For water timers and outdoor water saving products visit:
www.nrgideas.com