Saving on Water Use is Good for Everyone
Conserving the water we use is beneficial for both the planet and our wallets. Water may seem plentiful, but collecting it in sewers and storm drains, cleaning it at water treatment facilities and piping it around the city all have a cost–both literally and environmentally. Check out these Earth Day facts for how your irrigation system can save water.
Earth Day Facts: Rain Sensors
It seems pretty obvious that your sprinkler system shouldn’t be running in the rain. But without a rain sensor, the system doesn’t know that.(And you risk overwatering your lawn and gardens).
How does a rain sensor work?
“Rain collects in the top, and falls into the device, where discs swell with moisture. When they swell enough, the discs push on a switch that shuts off your sprinkler system. Your sprinkler programming remains the same and will resume when the rain sensor dries out. The sensitivity on the sensors is adjustable; it can turn off your sprinklers after registering one-eight to one inch of rain. In our region, we typically recommend shutting your system off after one-eighth inch of rain.”
Earth Day Facts: Scheduling
Your irrigation schedule affects both water usage and the health of your plants and lawn. There are two parts to scheduling:
- Time of day: Watering before 10AM is the best time. Later in the day, the sun gets hotter and will evaporate the water that’s supposed to benefit your plants’ roots.
- Days of the week: Watering every day promotes shallow root growth for turf. This makes your lawn less resilient and more susceptible to drought. For healthier lawns, your irrigation schedule should be deeper watering about three times per week.
Earth Day Facts: Smart Watering
Smart watering with the Hydrawise Smart Controller combines the water-saving benefits of rain sensors and scheduling with the ease of automation. The system connects with local weather forecasting agencies to predict when your lawn will need watering. And you don’t have to do a thing. We’re installing a record number of smart watering systems, and our customers are really happy with the results.
Earth Day Facts: Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation can conserve water in many gardens (although it’s not particularly the best solution for rooftop gardens). This system of irrigation slowly delivers water to specific areas and avoids watering the ground at large. With drip irrigation, you conserve water by:
- Preventing overwatering
- Putting water right where you need it
Drip irrigation has long been popular for farms, nurseries and vineyards, where saving water is an important cost-savings. It can be just as effective for your containers, flower beds and vegetable gardens. And it’s an easy add-on to your existing sprinkler system.
Earth Day Facts: Rainwater Harvesting
Integrating a rain barrel into your irrigation system takes advantage of the plentiful rain we get here in the TriState. You can save this water… for a sunny day. If you hurry, you can even bid on a beautiful barrel from the Rain Barrel Art Project, which are on display at the Cincinnati Zoo. These artist-designed rain barrels would make a stunning addition to your yard, but the auction ends April 21 at 6:30PM.
Interested in making your sprinkler system more earth-friendly? Contact us.
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