Mayor David Holt | City of Oklahoma City website
Mayor David Holt | City of Oklahoma City website
Oklahoma City residents seeking potential cost savings on their water bills this summer may want to check their sprinkler system, especially if they commonly use more than 20,000 gallons per month for irrigation or outdoor water use.
“In the summer, we see a spike in calls about high bills,” said Kelsey Whorton, the City’s Water Conservation Specialist. “Many of those bills can be prevented by changing outdoor watering practices or checking for common household leaks.”
According to Whorton, many homeowners don’t think about issues with their sprinkler system because they are typically set to turn on early in the morning. As a result, common issues like broken heads or line leaks can go unnoticed throughout the summer.
“High bills are often caused by undetected leaks, or by customers overestimating their lawn’s watering needs,” Whorton says. “Broken sprinkler heads, hidden program start times and long runtimes can all also add to unnecessary overwatering.”
The City is offering tips on how customers can save water and help prevent a surprise bill. They also want to remind customers of the permanent odd-even watering schedule.
Tips:
Be a leak detective. Many household leaks aren’t obvious. These include running toilets, dripping faucets or pipes leaking under cabinets, in basements or under-house areas. Take a few minutes once every other month to make sure you don’t have any undetected leaks.
Find and fix common sprinkler issues. Purchase several marker flags from your local hardware store, then run through each zone in your sprinkler system. While your sprinkler runs, look for common problems such as broken or sunken sprinkler heads, bubbling or excessive water runoff and misdirected spraying toward walls or sidewalks. Mark problem areas and make necessary adjustments and repairs.
Learn how much water your lawn needs. Common lawn grasses, such as bermudagrass, only need about one inch of water per week during the hottest months of the year. Watering more deeply and less frequently can help encourage a strong root system. Use a rain gauge to test how long it takes to water one inch. Place the gauge on your lawn, then turn on your sprinkler system and time how long it takes for a half inch of water to collect in the gauge. Multiply the time by two. This is the time needed to run that zone of your system each week. Turn off the system completely if rain is forecasted or look for a system controller with an automated weather gauge.
Don’t water during the daytime. Up to 50 percent of water used to irrigate during the daytime is lost to evaporation. To save water, irrigate in the early morning when it's still dark and the air temperature is cooler.
Avoid runoff. Water runoff is a huge water waster. To avoid it, use the “cycle and soak” method. Instead of one long run, cut sprinkler runtimesin half with two start times to allow water to soak into the soil rather than running off the lawn.
Perform a pressure check. Most residential sprinkler systems operate efficiently at pressures around 30 to 45 psi (pounds per square inch). Sprinkler heads with low pressure might not cover the entire area where water is needed. Sprinkler heads with pressure that is too high will cause the water to mist or fog resulting in the water evaporating before it reaches the grass, which can lead to dry spots. To correct pressure issues, install pressure-regulated heads or call a local irrigation expert for options.
Consider a “smart” irrigation controller. Many sprinkler controllers offer high-tech options to cut down on water waste. Options include sensors that can automatically adjust watering schedules by monitoring soil-moisture levels or local weather conditions. Many can also be managed using smartphone apps.
Need help with your sprinkler system? Visit www.squeezeeverydrop.com for a DIY sprinkler system check-up guide, how-to videos and more. The City also offers free sprinkler checkups for HOA and neighborhood groups who water public entryways and common areas.
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Jasmine Sievert
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Original source can be found here.
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