Tips for Outdoor Water Conservation
0 votes
All North Carolinians must do their part to conserve water and protect our water supply. Many simple practices can be employed around the home or business to save water and money. Even the tiniest leaks can waste thousands of gallons of water over a short period. Check for and repair leaky garden taps, hose connections, and sprinkler valves, and repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. Never let water run unnecessarily. Don’t use the hose to clean driveways and sidewalks, sweep them instead.
When selecting plants for the landscape, choose drought tolerant or native plants that do not require a lot of water. Group plants together in the landscape based on similar water requirements. Incorporate compost or other organic matter into the soil of plant beds to improve its water holding capacity. Mulch all plant beds to reduce evaporation, weeds, and soil temperature to conserve soil moisture. Add hydrogels to container plants. These water absorbing polymer crystals swell to several times their original size and slowly release water into the surrounding soil. Keep weeds out of flower and vegetable gardens and plant beds; weeds steal water from other plants.
When watering plants, don’t water if rain is in the forecast, and don’t water until plants need it. Irrigate in the morning or evening, not in the heat of the day, to prevent evaporation. Avoid watering on windy days. Irrigate slowly, deeply, and as infrequently as possible to promote deep rooting. Stop watering whenever runoff occurs, especially on slopes. Allow the water to absorb and then begin to water again.
Use watering cans whenever possible, instead of the hose. If using a hose, hold it close to the roots of plants, so that there is little waste and evaporative loss. Use a shut off valve on hoses, and turn the hose off when moving to different areas. Capture and recycle rainwater for watering plants by placing barrels or buckets beneath downspouts. Be sure to keep full containers covered and place a screen over containers being filled to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs and breeding in them. Buy a rain gauge to determine how much rain or irrigation your yard has received. Collect and use rinse water from the house to water plants.
For automatic sprinkler systems, position sprinklers so that they do not water streets, driveways, or other unnecessary areas, and regularly check sprinkler systems and timing devices to be sure they are operating properly. Install a moisture sensor on automatic sprinkler systems. This is a probe placed in the ground that determines when the soil needs water and turns on the sprinkler. Be sure to teach your family how to shut off automatic systems, so they can turn them off when rain approaches. If replacing or installing new irrigation systems, select devices that are the most water efficient for each use, such as drip irrigation and soaker hoses.