Monthly Use Reduction Tips for 2009
Here are a few ideas – listed by the month they're best completed – to help you conserve water and reduce your water costs....
January – For a more environmentally-friendly way to melt ice on walks and pavement, use a low-nitrogen fertilizer instead of salt. It does a great job and gives your plants and grass a break.
February – A small leak left unaddressed can account for hundreds of gallons of precious, clean drinking water lost in one billing period… that you’ll still be paying for… so check all your indoor fixtures for leaks and fix any you find right away.
March – Consider replacing any of your older, existing, water-guzzling toilets with newer, high-efficiency models that use 1.6 gallons for each flush… or less. The older ones can use 4 to 6 gallons. Check with your municipality for possible rebates for new high-efficiency toilets.
April – April is the perfect time for you trusted sprinkler service contractor to turn on your automatic sprinkler system and run each zone through a test cycle. During that cycle, they should check for leaks or damaged and misaligned sprinkler heads. If there’s any runoff, they should suggest repositioning or replacing the offending sprinkler heads so they’ll only water the grass. You’ll still have plenty of time for them to fix any problems before sprinkler season begins.
May – If your contractor hasn’t already programmed your sprinkler system controller for your summer season lawn & gaden watering schedule, they should do it right away… and to encourage long and strong root systems in your turf, you might postpone watering until the later part of the month.
June – Keeping your grass a bir longer willhelp keep your soil cooler, with less soil surface moisture lost to evaporation… so set the height of your lawn mower blade at the highest setting… and keep those blades sharp to provide a clean cut... that way the grass blades won’t brown-up on the cut edges.
July – To reduce moisture loss to evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year, add a layer of organic mulch around your plants, shrubs and trees. If you add or replace flowers, shrubs, trees, or turf, choose low-water loving species.
August – Often outdoor leaks are hidden or can be very difficult to find… and they can drive up your water bill quickly, yet add no benefit to your lawn and garden. If you’re on a sprinkler system maintenance plan package, your sprinkler contractor should check your sprinkler system for leaks and broken or perhaps cracked sprinkler heads… and if they find any they should repair/replace them right away.
September – During the fall months, your grass stores nutrients for the coming Winter season. To help with that process and keep the root systems healthy, aerate and fertilize your lawn with a specialized winter fertilizer or a one that contains more phosphorus. Phosphorus (a common winter fertilizer ingredient) plays a key role in helping your lawn’s root system store and transfer energy, and also helps grass become more tolerant of diseases, heat, cold and drought.
October – Now is the perfect time to winterize your sprinkler system. Your sprinkler system contractor should turn off the water, drain the valves, and then blow any remaining water out of the water pipes using a compressor air. If you still have any hoses you should disconnect, drain, roll them up and put them away.
November – Did you know a leaky toilet can waste more than 100,000 gallons of water a year? Check your toilet for leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank (not the bowl) and then waiting 5 to 10 minutes. If the color shows up in the toilet bowl, you have a leak you’ll want to fix right away.
December – For a more water-conserving lawn & gadens, winter is the perfect time to start your plans to modify or add to your landscape . Consider low-water gardens (xericaping or xerigardening) that attract wildlife, such as butterflies or birds… or work with general themes such as fragrance, edible, ornamental or native plants.
Little things can mean a lot when it comes to conserving water and lowering your water bills. Give some of these simple ideas a try.
Courtesy of your friends at LMS Irrigation
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