With all the rain our area has experienced in the past week and more expected next week, water customers can save money and help prevent needless water waste/runoff (not to mention oversaturation of their landscapes) by setting water sprinkler systems to “manual.” Sometimes customers forget or don’t notice their sprinklers are on amidst heavy rain. On average, more than 50 percent of all landscape water is wasted due to overwatering, inefficient watering practices and broken or poorly maintained irrigation systems. Watering during periods of precipitation is prohibited by City ordinance and citations and fines can result.
Even when conditions are drier, a healthy yard needs less water than you may think. To help water customers know exactly how much and when to water, the City’s Water Department recommends the use of “Water My Yard,” an e-mail (and app) system developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension that provides free weekly, personalized watering recommendations based on type of sprinkler system, geographic location and rainfall amounts. www.watermyyard.org.
