Why Be Wise About Water?

This article is part of the “FCCA Wise About Water” program.

 

 

Being Wise About Water benefits your landscape, environment, community, and budget. Outdoor residential irrigation accounts for as much as 60% of municipal water use in the summertime.

 

Benefits for the Homeowner:

 

·         Plants and turf are healthier if you water them in accordance with their needs;

·         Turfgrass and ornamentals develop deeper root systems with proper watering;

·         Native or adapted plants usually require less maintenance;

·         Proper irrigation means less run-off of fertilizer. If fertilizer flows down the street, it is not helping your plants and can also harm the water supply.

·         Less water for irrigation means lower water bills.

 

Benefits for the Environment:

 

·         Less run-off means healthier rivers and streams. Steady or increased river flows mean a healthier a healthier river and bay aquatic community.

 

For the Community:

 

·         Overall decrease in water use, especially during peak water demand periods, means forestalling or avoiding building new drinking water and wastewater treatment plants. This saves millions of dollars for taxpayers and water utilities.