Homeowners typically water their yard the most during the month of July. With hot, dry weather in the forecast, many people will be watering their landscape frequently over the next few weeks. While it’s important to water enough to maintain your yard, we all should use our community’s water supply carefully.
Here are five tips to help you use the right amount of water to keep your lawn healthy without using too much.
- Water enough, but not too much. Take the guesswork out of watering and replace your automatic sprinkler timer with a smart controller. These devices run your sprinkler system automatically based on local weather conditions. Watering just enough to cover your plant’s needs, they can be run from your smartphone and are especially helpful to following the Water Wise Rules and preventing overwatering. See which models qualify for a $50 rebate.
- If you’re not ready for a smart controller, adjust the number of days you water based on the time of year as described in our lawn watering schedule. Hand water brown spots in your lawn during hot spells and water less often during cooler weather
- Eliminate run off. By programming your sprinkler timer with a cycle and soak schedule, it’s easy to prevent water from running off the surface of your soil into the gutter. This technique is especially helpful for getting water to soak into sloped lawn or clay soil areas.
- Check for leaks. Since most people run their sprinklers at night, problems often go unnoticed. Each month, turn on your system during the day. Look for leaks, broken sprinkler heads and properly-directed sprinklers. Fix any issues quickly to minimize waste and its impact on your wallet.
- Don’t water when it rains. Colorado Springs often gets monsoon rainstorms in July and August. Take advantage of the moisture from Mother Nature by adding a rain sensor to your sprinkler system. It temporarily turns off your timer during a rainstorm, which earns you good will from your neighbors, and qualifies for a rebate. Another approach is to switch off your sprinkler system manually. Just don’t forget to turn it back on when drier conditions return!
When each of us does our part to use water wisely, we help stretch our supplies further.