Water Conservation
Swan Water Conservation
Down the Drain
By Forest Hill
You’d be shocked to discover the oceans of water that we waste every single day.
Water we have long taken for granted is being depleted at an alarming rate, at huge cost to the planet. Unless things change, our children will suffer for our gluttonous ways. We can no longer count on neighboring states to supply our rapidly growing thirst for water. It’s imperative that we find ways to limit our usage to an amount less than our eco-system’s natural replacement rate.
Serious change is needed. Now.
Government mandate is already in place in many areas. Beyond taking shorter showers, fixing leaky faucets and doing only full loads of laundry the only realistic way to comply is by severely curtailing your outdoor irrigation. Will our lawns soon be going brown and our planting beds wilting?
Is it possible to cut outdoor water use be 30 to 50%, as we’ll soon be asked to do?
Yes, I believe that we can continue to enjoy our outdoor landscapes, and do so without guilt. It requires a conservation strategy, a bit of know how, and the desire to make a difference. Here’s how to start:
Timing is everything. Replace your obsolete timer with a new Smart Controller. Properly programmed, such a controller will apply only the minimum amount of water needed. They respond to weather conditions, and allow you to program irrigation cycles at the optimal time(s) during the day.
Choose plants wisely. Plant choices abound these days. Native and drought tolerant species are beautiful year ‘round and won’t guzzle water needlessly. Visit our plant selection page for some ideas on how to get started.
Get a water audit. Poorly designed and maintained irrigation systems are huge water wasters. For example, typical lawn sprinklers waste about a third of all water applied. And that’s a best case scenario. With so much as stake, it clearly pays to work with a professional. Contact Swan Drought Tolerant Technology for a basic or comprehensive water audit.
To illustrate the potential water savings, here’s an actual case study:
Swan Drought Tolerant Technology Case Study:
Total landscape area of 13,800 square feet
7,600 sq feet: drought tolerant plants and ground cover
4,900 sq feet: drought tolerant turf variety
13,000 sq feet: new generation artificial turf
Result: 30% reduction in water usage and matching decrease in water bill.
Swan Drought Tolerant Technologies is a part of Landscape Design, Inc. a California Corporation. Ca contractor’s lic #486431. For more information, visit our contact page.