Smart Irrigation in Action

July Smart Irrigation Month 2019

July is Smart Irrigation Month and with more than half of the drinking water in the Valley used outdoors for the primary purpose of irrigating landscapes, it may be time to learn how to optimize your automated irrigation controller for maximum efficiency. If an irrigation system is well managed, a household’s outdoor water-use can be reduced by 15 percent or nearly 7,600 gallons of water annually. This amount is the equivalent of the water needed for 480 showers.

A common mistake that homeowners make is watering their landscapes very little at multiple times throughout the day. As a result, the water evaporates before it reaches the roots of their plants.

To avoid this mistake, follow these simple rules for watering:

The depth of the watering can be measured by pushing a dowel rod, soil probe, or screwdriver into the ground until it meets resistance.

An interactive landscape watering guide from Water – Use It Wisely will help you calculate a new watering schedule that is suitable for the size and type of plants in your yard. 

According to desert irrigation experts, watering frequency (not the run-time) should be changed at least four times a year to match the current season and keep plants healthy. Text WHENTOWATER to 33222 on the first day of each month to receive free text alerts with a link to a simple-to-read watering chart for everything in your yard!

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https://www.epa.gov/watersense/statistics-and-facts