Smart Irrigation And Landscaping Can Save Water And Money

When the sprinklers come on, a lot of water can be wasted, but that doesn’t have to be the case.

It’s important to make sure your sprinklers are maintained year-round. One solution is to get a ‘smart timer’ for your sprinkler system.

Cheryl Garing, community coordinator for Keep El Paso Beautiful, says the timers can be programmed to work with water restrictions in mind, and can also take weather conditions into account so they know when not to water your lawn.

In addition, Cheryl says the timers come with an important water-saving feature called the budget button, which will regulate how often your sprinkler waters your yard depending on the season.

Christina Montoya of El Paso Water Utilities says people often tend to give their vegetation too much water, and that watering two or three times a week, depending on the type of vegetation, is sufficient.

However, Cheryl and Christina both add that when you do water your plants, you should water them deeply and for a long time so that the roots get the biggest benefit.

Drip irrigation, used at UTEP’s Centennial Garden, is another way to hydrate the plants while saving water, as the moisture goes directly to the root of the plant.

Before you run to your nearest gardening or hardware store, however, be sure to have an expert visit your home.

While smart irrigation is important, landscaping is also important in cutting your home’s energy bill.

Yards that are grassless but covered with rocks can be subject to higher cooling bills because the rocks tend to direct heat towards the home.

If you have this type of yard, however, says Cheryl, the higher cooling bills can be offset by planting trees that provide sufficient shade.

In addition, she says, it’s a good idea to use plants that are native to the Desert Southwest, namely ones that can take heat and need less water.

El Paso Water Utilities offers free inspections for household lawns and yards. In these free audits, the inspector will determine what is the best watering schedule for your lawn and vegetation so that you save both money and water.

For more information on these audits, call (915) 621-2000.

The West Texas Irrigation Association can also give you tips to save money and water when taking care of your yard. For more information, please click on the Associated Link on this page.