Ten Simple Water-Saving Tips for the Outdoors

With summer here (or just about here in Portland), here are ten simple outdoor water-saving tips to help you conserve water and save money.

1. Adjust your sprinklers so that they’re watering your lawn and garden, and not the street or sidewalk.
2. Water early in the morning (before 10am) or later in the evening (after 6pm) when temperatures are cooler and evaporation is minimized.
3. Set it, but don’t turn it! Whether you have a manual or automatic system, be sure to adjust your watering schedule.  As the weather changes, so will your landscape’s watering needs.
4. Water established lawns about 1 inch per week (a bit more during hot, dry weather).  Find out how much to water each week with Conserve H20′s Weekly Watering Number.
5. Inspect your overall irrigation system for leaks, broken lines, or blockage in the lines.  A well maintained system will save you money, water, and time.
6. Consider replacing some grass area with low water use plants and ornamental grasses. They are easier to maintain than grass, look beautiful, and require far less water.
7. Group plants with like watering needs. Creating “watering zones” in your garden will allow you to give each plant the water it requires – not too much or too little.
8. Add a shut-off nozzle to your garden hose and save about 5-7 gallons each minute your hose is on.  The garden hose nozzle that I recommend (and personally use) is available in our online catalog, the Deluxe Garden Hose Nozzle.
9. Adjust your mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn provides shade to the roots and help retain soil moisture, so your lawn requires less water.
10. Water in several short sessions rather than one long session to allow for better water absorption and to prevent run-off.

{image credit: Kai [WSM]}