Droughts and Drip Irrigation

SANTA ROSA — To be good citizens, Governor Jerry Brown has asked us to cut back on our water usage by 20 percent. It’s a fact that we won’t save that 20 percent by running our dishwashers, washing machines or showers less…in fact, would you or your family and friends really want to? So where is that 20 percent savings expected to come from? Your outdoor and landscape water use, of course…that’s where the lion’s share of everyone’s water use is anyway. As our Northern California summer heats up and drags on, our lawns are getting browner and our plants are getting droopier, all while the cost of the water we use goes up and our billing rates climb into the higher billing tiers at our water companies!

What to do about it? Lately, we’ve been asked how to take existing irrigation systems and make them more efficient, saving water while preserve the existing landscape so it doesn’t have to be replaced later when the drought is over. That’s a pretty big subject and a lot to cover, but here are some quick ideas to think about along that line:

• Large shrub areas that are currently being sprayed can easily be converted to drip systems by plugging and eliminating most of the spray head inlets, and then tapping into a few existing outlets to add drip hose and emitters. Pressure reducers and filters are also necessary, especially if you’re on a well.

• Ground cover beds and areas can be converted to drip in the same manner as you would the large shrub areas outlined above. However, instead of drip hose and emitters, add a product called “Netafim,” which has the emitters impregnated into the piping. You simply snake the flexible pipe throughout the groundcover beds and tie it into the existing PVC lines underground.

• Set multiple start times on your irrigation controller so the water you do apply actually sinks into the ground (called a soak cycle) and doesn’t run off onto the sidewalks, driveways and gutters. Your soil is like a sponge—after it gets saturated, the additional water just runs off, so set “soak cycles.” Instead of watering your lawn every day for 10 minutes, water it twice a day for 3 minutes each time or cycle (say 5am and 12pm). That way, all the water gets absorbed and used where it should be.

• There’s a lot of new, efficient irrigation equipment on the market that can easily be added to old systems. “Smart Controller” rotating spray heads, check valves that make sure water lines don’t continue to drain when they’re turned off…these are just a few examples of how to make your existing irrigation system more efficient!

Call us if you need an evaluation and more water saving information.