How to maximize your sprinkler system during drought
If you live in the City of Austin, you can upgrade your older sprinkler system at a discount.
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Now that we're out of our wet season, you're probably using your sprinklers more and seeing your water bill rise.
As water from Mother Nature becomes harder to come by, sprinklers become more important to keeping your lawn green.
Most lawns in Central Texas need between half an inch and a full inch of water each week in the summer. Knowing how much it rained where you live can help you figure out how long you need to run your sprinklers.
Enter, the smarter sprinkler system...
Newer sprinkler controllers have sensors that turn off your system if it's rained recently, and modern sprinkler heads also distribute the water more slowly and efficiently.
According to Keith Wimbish, from the Irrigation Department at ABC Home & Commercial Services, "If you apply the water at too fast of a rate, then you might just have a lot of that water run off, so low-flow nozzles are going to distribute the water at a lower rate so that the soil can accept it and absorb it."
You can even water your lawn from below the surface with drip irrigation.
"It delivers the water right at the root level... it's also exempt from a lot of the watering restrictions from the different municipalities," said Wimbish.
These low-flow solutions often require you to run your system longer, but you'll waste less water doing it.
If you live in the City of Austin, you can upgrade your older sprinkler system at a discount.
"A number of rebates, both for irrigation upgrades, but also for what we call 'drought survival tools,'" said Kevin Kluge, Water Conservation Manager at Austin Water.
These include rebates on low-flow sprinkler heads, drip irrigation equipment, mulch and compost. (Link below)
"When the work is done. You send us just itemized receipts, saying that they were purchased and photos that they were installed and then, in six to eight weeks, you'll get a check from Austin Water," said Kluge.
To monitor your water use, Austin Water has been installing smart meters that send usage data to an online customer portal called "My ATX Water" where you can see how much water you use and get alerts if your water use is particularly high.
To get the most out of your sprinkler system, ABC Home & Commercial services recommends:
- Setting your sprinkler system to finish by sunrise
- Program fewer, but longer watering periods to promote deeper roots
- Have a professional audit your system once a year to make sure it's working well