District Offers Homeowners Water- and Money-Saving Tips As Irrigation Season is Set to Begin
“Outdoor water usage is the single largest contributor to the District’s increased pumpage between May and September,” said Marc Laykind, Chairman of the Plainview Water District. “To accommodate for the increased use, we have to use every bit of our infrastructure to meet demand and that each drop meets all federal, state and local guidelines. If every resident could introduce a new water-saving measure this summer it would go a long way in preserving our most precious natural resource.”
Irrigation clocks that are set in April and then not touched again until they are turned off in the fall are primed to waste thousands upon thousands of gallons of water. This is because a lawn’s water needs are drastically different in April than they are in July. A trick to keep in mind is to set irrigation clocks every time the thermostat is adjusted. A less time-consuming option is to consider technologies such as a rain sensor or a smart controller. Smart controllers replace standard irrigation timers and use Wi-Fi to connect to a local weather station to use data to adjust watering schedules and amounts accordingly.
“We pump more than 100 percent more water in the spring and summer than we do the rest of the year, and it’s essentially all attributed to lawn sprinkler systems,” said Plainview Water District Commissioner Amanda Field. “That is why it is so important for residents to understand how to optimize their home irrigation systems. Their efforts will not only contribute to the long-term sustainability of our aquifer, but it will have a real impact on their second and third quarter water bills.”
Plainview
Old-Bethpage residents are also reminded of Nassau County’s Lawn Watering Ordinances,
which dictates when homeowners can and cannot water their lawns. The ordinance
stipulates that even-numbered homes can only water on even-numbered days, odd-numbered
homes can only water on odd-numbered days, and no lawn watering can be done between
the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on any day.
“There are so many ways to cut back on water usage that might not seem significant, but over time they can amount to big savings,” said Plainview Water District Commissioner Andrew Bader. “No effort is too small to consider as every gallon adds up over time. If you identify an area where you and your family can save water, go for it. The less water we use now, the better shape our aquifer will be for generations to come.”