8 proven Ways to Save Water

If you currently have or are thinking of purchasing an irrigation  system for your lawn, you definitely need to consider ways to cut costs  and save money by saving water.

Below I've listed 8 proven ways to save water with your irrigation  system that will also help save a little extra money for your summer  plans as well as jumping on the "go green" band wagon.

1. Adjust the timer on your controller to run for seasonal changes in  weather once a month or once a week. This step alone will save you more  water and money than any other step. It only requires a little of your  time, but other than that, it is free. Use the % key if your controller  has the option.

2. Use your system during the morning hours instead of the evening  hours. Temperatures are cooler in the morning and the wind doesn't  usually blow as hard so premature evaporation is not an issue. If you  water during the evening, you may face turf and plant disease problems  because water can soak on plants all night (especially in humid areas).

3. When using an automatic sprinkler system, break up the watering into 2  or 3 short cycles instead of one long period of time. If you cycle your  sprinkler sessions, the water has a chance to soak into the ground  instead of building up and running off.

4. Relocate sprinklers appropriately. Space sprinklers 4-6 inches from  the edge of sidewalks, curbs, and patios, in a lawn section and 12  inches in a shrub section. Find a store that sells irrigation equipment  and purchase flexible riser pipes made for relocating sprinklers to make  the process much easier for you.

5. Fix all leaking valves. After your irrigation system is turned off,  if you see water running on the sidewalk, there is a leaking valve that  needs to be cleaned or simply replaced.

6. Put a filter on your system. Most damage to irrigation systems is  caused by contaminants in the water supply. Install a screen filter at  the water source located before the valves.

7. When watering shrubs, use drip irrigation. Drip irrigation is not  hard to install, not too expensive, and is 20% more efficient than  regular sprinklers.

8. Get an irrigation audit. Your water supplier may conduct an audit for  free or charge only a minimal fee. You can also look for an independent  auditor. From the audit you should gain information about the condition  of your irrigation system and recommendations for repairs and/or  improvements. You may even get information on how often and how much you  should water each month of the year.

These simple steps should lead you on your way to saving a lot of water and money as the watering season approaches.