Water your landscape only when it needs it. Keep in mind that cool spells and rainfall reduce the need for watering. Adjust your automatic clocks accordingly (and remember to check your automatic clock after a power outage, it may need resetting).
Water your landscape long enough for water to seep down to the roots where it is needed but not so long as to allow runoff. We recommend for the soil types in our area a schedule of 5 to 7 minutes per irrigation station.
Water during the cool parts of the day. Watering during the early morning or evening prevents loss of water due to evaporation and wind. Remember the Water Supply Response Program prohibits watering with your irrigation system between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Do not water the gutter. Position your sprinklers so that water lands on your lawn or garden, not on concrete or other paved areas. Periodically check your irrigation system for broken sprinkler heads or heads that may need readjusting.
Plant drought-resistant trees and plants. Many beautiful trees and plants thrive without irrigation in the limited rainfall of our semi-arid region.
Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Mulch slows the evaporation of moisture and also helps keep down the weeds.
Use a broom to clean driveways, sidewalks and steps. Using a hose wastes hundreds of gallons of water.
Do not run the hose while washing your car. Soap down your car from a pail of soapy water. Use a hose, equipped with a positive shut off nozzle, to rinse it off.
Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, faucets and couplings. Leaks outside the house can be extremely wasteful, especially when they occur in your main water line or irrigation system. To check for hidden leaks in your pipes, shut off all faucets and taps around the house for 15 minutes. If the water meter reading advances during that time, you have a leak.
For more information on our water conservation programs, view our Water Conservation page or call our Water Conservation Department at (760) 597-3160.