July is Smart Irrigation Month, which raises public awareness about water wise landscaping and irrigation methods. These promote efficient water use, saving on utility bills, ensuring lasting green spaces and supporting the sustainability of our community.
This initiative was started in 2005 by the Irrigation Association and has become nationally recognized through campaigns to teach the public about the most efficient conditions to use irrigation systems.
2023’s theme is “What’s the value of smart irrigation?,” which aims to discuss how smart irrigation has a beneficial impact on our lives and communities.
A great way to minimize water waste and reduce your water bill is to ensure your irrigation systems undergo regular maintenance. If a system is damaged or used improperly, it can cause costly leaks.
On average, irrigation systems account for around 50-75% of a home’s monthly water usage. A broken irrigation system can use up even more.
Proper operating irrigation systems ensure optimal efficiency preventing overwatering and increases in water bills.
Have your system periodically audited. An irrigation audit and uniformity tests can verify areas are being efficiently watered. This will also give insight to make any necessary adjustments.
Monthly Check-ups:
- Adjust sprinkler heads. Ensure that nothing is blocking the distribution of water from your sprinklers. Readjusting the sprinkler head positions and spray patterns can prevent water wastage and make sure plants are being evenly watered.
- Inspect for leaks. A contractor can perform regular maintenance checks for leaks, broken or clogged sprinkler heads and other problems.
Upgrade Your Irrigation System:
- Rain sensors. These sensors are inexpensive and are almost universal to every irrigation system. They help save water by turning off the system during rainy weather. In fact, it is Florida law to have a working rain sensor.
- Smart controllers. Weather or soil moisture-based controllers evaluate the present environmental conditions and then automatically alter the irrigation schedule based on the specific landscape needs. These advanced controllers take some stress off of homeowners and can save water and money.
The Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program echoes many of these ideas and also emphasizes the importance of calibrating smart irrigation systems that base their usage on weather and other environmental conditions. The program aims to conserve water and reduce the amount of polluted runoff that flows into water bodies. To learn more, please visit ffl.ifas.ufl.edu
For more advice on how to improve the amount of water you use, you can visit our Ways to Conserve section online at tohowater.com to learn more about your watering days and times.
Need Assistance? Toho’s Water Conservation Department can assist with any further questions. The team can be contacted at 407-944-5124 or by emailing waterconservation@tohowater.com. They can determine whether an audit on your irrigation system is needed. During the free evaluation, our team will inspect for leaks and figure out how the system can run more efficiently. They will advise the owner of any necessary repairs and set the irrigation timer to run correctly.
