Water Conservation

• This reduces evaporation from the soil and stress to the grass

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If less than 8” of loam:

• Top dress lawn with ¼ inch compost or loam in spring and fall
• Leave grass clippings behind as mulch
• Adjust your sprinklers to a cycle and soak method (e.g. 5 – 10 minutes on/off/on/off etc.

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• Use a can (e.g. tuna) to measure how much your sprinkler delivers per 10 minutes and adjust watering accordingly). Grass cannot absorb more water than that.
• Consider investing in a smart controller that can be set from your cell phone
• Switch your older timer for a newer model than can adapt to the new water restrictions

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• Add lime in spring (and/or fall). Rainfall increases soil acidity and grass thrives in a near neutral environment.
• Aerate your lawn in spring to reduce compaction and improve water penetration
• De-thatch if thatch layer is thicker than ½”. A thin layer of thatch is beneficial for your lawn
• Install lawns in spring or fall, rather than in the heat of summer
• Consider “going gold”: Not watering your lawn over summer. If you raise your lawn mower, amend your soil, lime and aerate, your lawn will stay green longer, even without watering.

Consult an Irrigation Industry Association of BC (IIABC) certified irrigation professional for up-to-date advice on installing, scheduling and maintaining water-wise irrigation systems. They can help you with:

• Choosing the best system for lawns vs. beds (sprinkler system or micro/drip irrigation)
• Selecting a timer that works on watering restrictions and can be programmed via your cell-phone
• Advice on irrigation scheduling
• Information on smart controllers that adjust watering to account for rain
• Proper yearly and monthly maintenance of irrigation systems
• If doing your own annual service in the spring:
  • Reset timers, ensure they work
  • Adjust for new bylaw sprinkling restrictions
  • Add a rain sensor or smart controller
  • Set irrigation schedule according to established monthly evaporation for this area to avoid wasting water in spring and fall
  • Check for blocked or misaligned sprinkler heads
  • Check for leaks
  • Test backflow prevention valves and check valves
• Turn system on monthly to check for:
  • Wet/dry patches indicating plugged nozzles
  • Arc that is watering roads or driveways
• Patterns of irrigation on your driveway or road indicate one or more of your sprinkler heads are no longer correctly aimed or may be blocked.
  • Don’t forget to turn system off in the fall and blow your lines out.

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If properly installed and scheduled, micro-, or drip irrigation systems will irrigate garden beds, shrubs and trees using much less water than a traditional above ground or automatic sprinkler systems. Consult IIABC certified professionals to ensure the installation is done correctly.

Mulch is key to water conservation.

Non-organic mulching materials can be used, but in order to improve the depth and health of soil, organic material is best. Organic mulching includes:

• Chipped hard wood (preferred, as breaks down faster) or soft wood trees using the whole tree (except cedar)
• Leaves
• Grass clippings
• Peat moss (non-renewable resource, explore alternatives)
• Wood chips
• Straw
• Cardboard, newspaper

Given the predictions for longer, drier summers, consideration should be given to landscaping with native or drought resistant plants.

Consider using trees, shrubs, flowers that are adapted to the conditions of the region: Warm, dry summers and wet, cool winters.

Contact knowledgeable staff at local garden stores or the SRD at 250-830-6718 or engineering@srd.ca for information on resources available.

Detaching a hose allows water to drain from the faucet. Otherwise, a single, hard overnight freeze can burst either the faucet or the pipe it is connected to.

Be sure to isolate your irrigation system and have the lines “blown out” with air. As temperatures change, stagnant water left in irrigation lines contracts and expands leading to cracks and breaks in the pipes. Often these lead to leaks which go undetected for months until the irrigation system is put back online for the summer. Be sure to check for leaks when restarting the irrigation system in the spring.

Save water by protecting pipes. Get a professional plumber to wrap exposed or vulnerable pipes (or add insulation) so that they stay warmer and are less likely to leak or burst.

When most people turn on their shower, they let the cold water that comes out of it for the first few seconds run down the drain. Instead of letting all that water go to waste, consider using a bucket to capture it and then using that water for household tasks like cleaning, flushing toilets, or watering house plants. Best of all, you can use this trick all year round.

In the event of a leaking or burst pipe, immediately shut off the water to your home or building. This will save money on water and property damage repairs. The quicker you can turn off that water, the less goes to waste (and harms your structure and/or valuables).