As you’ve seen in recent news, the California State Water Resources Control Board has announced new mandatory water restrictions for outdoor irrigation. The first is that you cannot water your garden within 48 hours of a rain event, and the second is that you cannot allow your sprinklers to run over adjacent hard spaces, such as a sidewalk.
Possible fines of $500 may be imposed; However, it is not clear how the state is proposing to impose these new restrictions. Both restrictions make sense in the landscape world, but they are frequently violated.
We’ve all seen early morning picnics or commutes, wet sidewalks and running water on the street. I’m sure many of you have also experienced sprinklers during or right after it rains. It is important to ensure that your irrigation system is operating efficiently, especially if you are in charge of a large community such as an HOA or a facility such as a resort or hotel. Let’s review some techniques and best practices to help improve your social responsibility.
Do not water after 48 hours of rain. There is a great device called a rain sensor that you can install on almost all irrigation controllers and it usually costs around $100. Its function is to cut off the electrical connection to the irrigation controller so that it does not operate the valves during or immediately after rain. Many will allow you to program it so that the watering will remain off for a certain number of days after measurable rain.
Another option is the Hunter Hydrowise Controller that allows you to program, adjust, and turn off your irrigation system from anywhere in the world. This way, if you leave your house on vacation and it starts raining after you’re gone, you can turn off the remote control and save yourself from being “that neighbour”. If investing in these technologies isn’t within your budget, you can simply turn your console into off mode before any rain event and wait 48 hours to restart.
Water on the pavement or “overspray”. This is usually due to not adjusting your sprinklers, using too much water in one watering cycle, or not having a square shape in your garden. It can be difficult to correct depending on the age of your system and the design of your garden. In most cases, the fix for this problem is a simple modification of the sprinklers that can be done with a flat screwdriver or other special watering tool that you can get at your local Ewing irrigation store.
If your sprinklers are old, there is a chance that the gears and seals inside the sprinkler have worn out and no matter what you do to adjust them, the sprinkler will come back to water the sidewalk the next time it pops. In this case, it would be best to replace your sprinklers with new ones. If water collects in your garden and runs out, this could be a programming issue and can be addressed simply by reducing the cycle time.
If your lawn has an unusual shape such as a circle or triangle, it can be very difficult to avoid getting your hardwood lawn wet. If this is the case for your property, it is best that a professional come and reconfigure the sprinklers to be more effective.
new technology. The irrigation industry is constantly innovating new technology to help improve the way we water our landscapes. For example, there are new sprinklers that can lower the water much more slowly so that the soil has a chance to soak it up before it trickles down the sidewalk.
If you love having a nicely landscaped yard but are sick of your big water bill every summer, it might be time to upgrade your system. Just like buying a new, better fuel car, upgrading your irrigation system can save you money in the long run.
Justin White is CEO of K&D Landscaping, based in Watsonville, California and was awarded “2020 Business of the Year” by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce. White is the past president of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA), their Central Coast chapter. He is also involved in many non-profit organizations across the community. For more information on landscaping, outdoor and gardening needs, contact K&D Landscaping at kndlandscaping.com.