HELP YOUR YARD DRINK RESPONSIBLY
High irrigation charges
Why are we using so much water? Where does all of the water go? Customers with in-ground irrigation systems who water regularly may be surprised just how much water is used to water their lawns.
A typical residential irrigation system may have four irrigation zones and use 10 to 15 gallons of water per minute. Although that may not seem unreasonable, usage during one month can add up to thousands of gallons. For example, let’s assume that a typical irrigation system has 4 zones watering for 45 minutes per zone, and provides an average of 12 gallons of water per minute per zone. Irrigating twice per week, the typical irrigation system uses approximately 4,300 gallons of water per week, or 17,200 gallons of water per month. Here are some things you should try.
- First, check your irrigation system to make sure you do not have any broken heads, leaks, or other problems which can lead to wasted water (It may be worth the extra cost to have an irrigation specialist inspect your system).
- Check your controller/timer. This is an electrical clock that tells the sprinkler valves when to release water through the sprinklers and for how long. What you're checking for, when you look at the controller, is to make sure that the programming is reasonable. Sometimes, for whatever reason, a sprinkler station (collection of sprinklers under one timer) loses its programming and goes on default, which may be totally the wrong schedule for you.
- Try reducing the irrigation time for each zone to the minimum amount of time necessary to maintain a healthy lawn. You shouldn't apply more than ¾ to 1 inch of water to your lawn twice a week.
- Consider reducing the amount of turf you have to water by incorporating Florida friendly landscaping into your yard. Once established, native vegetation requires much less irrigation to stay healthy.
- For more information visit www.cocoafl.org/conservation. Check out UF/IFAS Extension's Florida-Friendly Landscaping™. The St. Johns River Water Management’s plant guide is also very helpful.
Cocoa Reclaimed Water Customers!
Please take time to inspect your irrigation systems and keep in mind: excessive irrigation overspray into the streets or adjoining property is not permitted. This includes sidewalks, all paved/concrete areas and also, into any small/large bodies of water. Cocoa Utilities appreciates your assistance in this matter. See How Much Water Does My Lawn Need?
