Healthy landscapes and gardens offer so much more than simple
aesthetic beauty. They provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide,
control erosion, reduce noise pollution, lower energy bills and in-
crease property values. However, with California's drought con-
tinuing to make national headlines, people everywhere are won-
dering how to keep those same landscapes and gardens healthy
with less water. Unfortunately, that heightened awareness may be
the only positive aspect of an otherwise dire situation. Still, ac-
cording to Alex Nathanson, corporate marketing brand manager
for Rain Bird Corporation, realizing that you need to be a better
water manager and knowing how to make that happen are two
very different things.
"California's unprecedented water crisis and water-use man-
dates have had many of the state's residents wondering if they
need to simply stop watering their landscapes altogether," said
Nathanson. "While the mandates are certainly necessary, you
don't have to let your landscape turn brown and die. You can still
have a lawn or garden while significantly reducing your outdoor
water use. It comes down to integrating efficient irrigation tech-
nology and understanding how to use it wisely. That's true not
just for Californians, but for anyone who wants to become a bet-
ter water manager."
NOT JUST CALIFORNIA'S PROBLEM
While the Association of Californian Water Agencies (ACWA) es-
timates that California residents tend to overwater their outdoor
plants and lawns by as much as 60 percent, others throughout
the country are also wasting untold amounts of water. According
to the EPA's WaterSense program, residential outdoor water use
across the United States accounts for nearly 9 billion gallons of
water each day, primarily for landscape irrigation. In fact, the av-
erage U.S. household uses more water outdoors than most Amer-
ican homes use for showering and washing clothes combined.
How are Americans using so much water outdoors? In some
situations, outdated or damaged irrigation system components are
to blame. Or, an irrigation system may be in good condition, but
improper scheduling leads to the application of too much water
too often. Regardless, the results are the same — wasted water,
high water bills, soggy soil, excess runoff and unhealthy landscapes.
Water Management:
Ways to Save
IRRIGATION AND WATER MANAGEMENT
PHOTOS
PROVIDED
BY
RAIN
BIRD
CORPORATION
18 September 2015 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com
■ BY LYNETTE VON MINDEN
"Irrigation contractors can have a tremendous
impact on water conservation by installing
more efficient systems and teaching their
clients how to use them correctly."
— Alex Nathanson
