Water Conservation

Use less water on landscapes during 2022 

Weber Basin Water Conservancy District and Utah Department of Environmental Quality are asking for Utahans’ to scale back on how frequently lawns are being watered.  Adjust your individual sprinkler system and make it a habit to follow recommended watering requirements based on temperature, precipitation, type of soil, etc. Because of Extreme Drought conditions, the State is asking everyone to lower per capita water usage. 

City-wide Watering Schedule Provisions

The city encourages residents to follow the water conservation recommendations of the State of Utah and Weber basin Water Conservancy District. In addition, residential landscape irrigation plans should be evaluated throughout the watering season, accounting for cooler temperatures in May and September, changing weather conditions, varying soil types, plant materials, maturity of lawn and landscaping, and reviewing the necessary steps for achieving a healthy lawn.

The city also recommends that every resident obtain a Slow-the-Flow evaluation on their lawn and sprinkling system. This service is valuable in determining the soil type, depth of grass roots, and effectiveness of the sprinkling system. This site also provides a Utah Weekly Lawn Watering Guide, which is based on weather conditions of the prior week and can help to determine when lawns may need watering and when they don’t. Throughout the summer months, city newsletters will include information about how to conserve our valuable water resources.

Use Water Wisely

Did you know you may be using more water than you realize? To estimate the total gallons used outside your home per month, use this simple equation: Watering minutes per day (X) Watering days per week (=) Watering minutes per week (/) 60 (=) Watering hours per week (X) 250 (=) Gallons per week. To estimate your average outside usage per month, multiply this answer by four.

Tips to Conserve Outside Secondary Water

 

• Frequently check your irrigation system for leaks.
• Use low water-use plants and shrubs.
• Adjust irrigation schedules to accommodate seasonal water demands. When there are cooler temperatures and precipitation, suspend your automated sprinkler system until conditions warrant resuming a sensible watering schedule.
• Adjust sprinkler so only the lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
• Water at night or during the cool morning hours to minimize evaporation.
• When you mow the lawn adjust the height of the mower blade to the highest setting or a minimum of four inches. The taller grass makes for greater shade on the roots and helps maintain moisture.
• Plant drought-resistant lawns, shrubs, and plants. There are many plants that thrive in Utah's conditions. Not only do they help conserve water, they require less maintenance.
• If you do have trees and plants that need more water, put a layer of mulch around them to discourage weed growth and help slow evaporation.
• Before planting the garden, plan to group plants with similar watering needs together to help avoid over watering and under watering the plants.

Tips to Conserve Tap Water

 

• Take a shorter shower. A typical shower uses 15-30 gallons every five minutes.
• Check taps, pipes, and toilets for leaks.
• When you wash clothes and dishes, always wash full loads.
• It's tempting to get the hose out to get rid of debris and garbage, but it can waste a lot of water. Use a broom to clean gutters and driveways. The average garden hose has a flow of 17 gallons per minute.
• When you need to buy new goods, invest in water-efficient items. Many companies are making water-efficient shower heads, washing machines, toilets, taps, and dishwashers.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth. The bathroom faucet can run up to two gallons of water in one minute.
• Do not let the hose run while washing your car. Instead, use a bucket or use a hand sprinkler with an on/off lever attached to your hose.
• Sweep your sidewalk and driveway rather than hosing it off.

Brown Spot…It must need more water. Or does it?

Did you know that not all brown spots are caused by lack of water? Some spots are actually caused by a grass root-eating bug called bill bug. This bug will eat the root of the grass, causing areas of your lawn to turn brown and look as if it is not receiving enough water. So how does one tell if they have bill bug? Pull a sample from the “dead” grass area; if roots are non-existent and/or they look chewed on, you’ve got bill bug. So before you hose, check for evidence of the bug, because no amount of water is going to bring your beautiful landscaped yard back if the bug is prevalent.

Grass not healthy enough for you?

Try aerating your lawn. Grass, like people, needs oxygen to grow. Regardless of how much water you give your lawn, it will never reach that beautiful lush green color without oxygen. So oxygenate, and start aerating every spring. Not only will this make your lawn more green and beautiful, but it will make it healthier and more durable over time.

WATER CONSERVATION TIPS

• Follow State watering guidelines shown above. Cooler months mean less water is needed.
• Frequently check your irrigation system for leaks.
• Adjust sprinklers so only the lawn is watered, not sidewalks or streets.
• Water between the hours of 10pm and 7am. Watering when it's cooler allows water to penetrate into the root zone.
• Avoid watering on windy days.
• Let your grass grow longer and train your roots to grow deeper. Raise mowing height to 2.5 to 3 inches.
• Use low-water plants and shrubs.
• Add mulch. A thick layer of mulch cools flowerbeds, inhibits weed growth, and slows the evaporation of water from the soil.

More tips can be found at Water Wise Utah website.