Tips for Watering Wisely

Timing is Everything

No matter what kind of yard or landscape you have, it's important to know exactly how much water your plants need before you turn on the sprinkler. Smart watering practices that reduce runoff may decrease the need for pesticides and fertilizers, which can impact the health of streams, lakes and wildlife. Keeping the following questions in mind when you do water can help you maintain a beautiful and healthy yard without wasting water or money.

Contact your local water utility to find out exactly how much and when you should be watering in your area. Here are some guidelines to consider.

When? Avoid watering in the middle of the day when the hot sun will evaporate much of the water before it can get to thirsty plants.

How often? The answer depends on several factors, including where you live, recent weather conditions, and the type of plants in your landscape. A rule of thumb for many areas of the country is that lawns only need up to one inch of water a week, including rainfall. Shrubs, trees, and other perennials generally will need even less because of their deeper root structure. Check with your area's Cooperative Extension Service or local water utility for expert advice on watering needs in your area.

How long? If water begins to pool, turn off your sprinkler to prevent overwatering and runoff. Watering plants, including turfgrass, too much or too frequently can drown plants or result in shallow roots. Overwatering can lead to a host of other problems including weed growth, disease, fungus, and stormwater runoff that pollutes local waterways with fertilizers and pesticides. Remember, most of your plants will need less water than your turfgrass.

What else? When the rain does come, saving water from storms is a great way to supplement your efficiency measures. Rain barrels or cisterns can be used to harvest rain water for irrigation and other outdoor water uses. Check with your local water utility for possible product rebates.

Manage Your Irrigation System

While up to 90 percent of the water used outdoors is for irrigation, having a beautiful landscape doesn't have to mean using a lot of water. Watering by hand is most efficient, but if your home is one of the more than 13.5 million with an in-ground irrigation system, try some of these simple strategies to reduce your water waste and protect the environment.

Look for the label.

WaterSense labels irrigation controllers, a type of "smart" irrigation control technology that uses local weather data to determine whether your sprinkler system needs to turn on. WaterSense labeled controllers can help you save water, time, and money when compared to use of a conventional controller. Learn more about the ins and outs of upgrading your system with this smarter technology.

Adjust your irrigation system often.

Get to know the settings on your irrigation controller and, if you haven't upgraded to a weather-based controller, adjust its watering schedule regularly to conform to seasonal weather conditions. A good rule of thumb – when you adjust your thermostat due to seasonal temperature changes, adjust your irrigation controller watering schedule as well.

Set sprinklers to keep the water on the landscape and off the pavement.

Lots of water is wasted by poorly designed and neglected sprinkler systems that spray sidewalks, driveways, and the street. Monitoring and making simple adjustments to the sprinklers saves water and reduces runoff from the landscape, helping to keep local water bodies clean.

Play "zone" defense.

Schedule each individual zone in your irrigation system to account for the type of sprinkler; sun or shade exposure; and type of plants and soil in the specific area. The same watering schedule rarely applies to all zones in the system.

Check for WaterSense!

A certified irrigation professional can design, install, maintain, or audit your system to ensure you're using the proper amount of water to support a healthy landscape. Ask if your irrigation contractor is certified through a WaterSense labeled program, a mark of distinction that means he or she has been certified through a program that focuses on water efficiency.

Inspect your irrigation system monthly.

Check for leaks, broken or clogged heads, and other problems, or engage an irrigation professional to regularly check your system. Clean micro-irrigation filters as needed. Correct obstructions in sprinkler heads that prevent sprinklers from distributing water evenly. Keep water off pavement and structures.

Use smart(er) technologies.

Consider installing other water-saving technologies such as soil moisture sensors, efficient sprinkler heads, and micro or drip irrigation to get the most out of your irrigation system. Drip irrigations systems, for example, use between 20 to 50 percent less water than conventional pop-up sprinkler systems. Installing a drip irrigation system can save 30,000 gallons per year when compared to a traditional pop-up irrigation system.

Install low-volume micro-irrigation for gardens, trees, and shrubs.

Micro-irrigation includes drip (also known as trickle), micro-spray jets, micro-sprinklers, or bubbler irrigation. Micro-irrigation devices irrigate slowly and minimize evaporation, runoff, and overspray.