Sec 2 Irrigation for Water Conservation

Irrigation for Water Conservation Traditional Design Practices Traditionally designers and contractors would try and keep the cost of installation on an irrigation design to a minimum. This meant the use of larger heads and spacing the heads further apart. The larger heads produced a lot of overspray onto driveways and sidewalks resulting in a waste of water. Wider spacing meant there were dry spots and wet spots. Typically the controller was set to water the dry spots which meant overwatering the rest of the area. This practice also resulted in a waste of water. The Landscape Design was changing as a result of poor irrigation design. Plant material and turf would die off where there was little or no water and be replaced by hardscapes or mulch. Industries Responsibility As an irrigation contractor it is your duty to ensure the long term care of the customer. With the cost of water going up is it more feasible to put in a less expensive system that uses more water or install a system at a higher cost that was save the customer money in the long run? It is also your duty as a plant specialist to practice water conservation. Legislation Provincial Regulations Regulatory Requirements for Water Use in Alberta can be found in the brochure “Facts About Water in Alberta” Municipal Regulations As well as raise the price per m3 of water, as most municipalities in Alberta have done, the City of Edmonton has put together the following regulation for water use within the city: For City of Edmonton Outdoor watering restrictions are in effect from June 1 to September 30 every year. These restrictions are in place to: Help stabilize the increase in water consumption that takes place during the summer months Maintain consistent water pressure to customers Ensure adequate flows and pressures for firefighting purposes Help sustain water for present and future generations The watering restrictions regulation has four stages and may escalate based on water conservation needs. Unless otherwise noted, abide by the stage 1 restrictions. STAGE 1 RESTRICTIONS RESIDENTIAL Lawn sprinkling is allowed only between 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Even-numbered addresses, may sprinkle only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. These sprinkling regulations apply only to lawns; hand watering of gardens, shrubs, trees and flower beds is allowed When washing a boat or motor vehicle other than at commercial car wash, water hoses must be equipped with an automatic shut-off device Multi-family dwellings are considered even or odd depending on the overall building number and not the unit number. NON-RESIDENTIAL Even numbered premises may water on Monday and Wednesday between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. Odd numbered premises may water on Tuesday and Thursday between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m All non-residential addresses can also water on Friday between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. These sprinkling regulations apply only to lawns, and not to hand watering of gardens, shrubs, trees and flower beds STAGE 2 RESTRICTIONS RESIDENTIAL Lawn sprinkling is allowed only between 4 a.m. to 9 a.m. Even-numbered addresses may sprinkle only on Wednesdays, and odd-numbered addresses may sprinkle only on Thursdays These sprinkling regulations apply only to lawns, and not to hand watering of gardens, shrubs, trees and flower beds When washing a boat or motor vehicle other than at commercial car wash, water hoses must be equipped with an automatic shut-off device NON-RESIDENTIAL Even numbered premises may water on Monday between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. Odd numbered premises may water on Tuesday between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. These sprinkling regulations apply only to lawns, and not to hand watering of gardens, shrubs, trees and flower beds STAGE 3 RESTRICTIONS Lawn sprinkling is not allowed by residential or non-residential Residential and non-residential gardens, shrubs, trees and flower beds may only be watered by hand, by containers or drip irrigation Hand washing of vehicles is restricted to features required for safety (windows, lights, licenses) Refilling of private, commercial and public swimming pools is prohibited When washing a boat or motor vehicle other than at commercial car wash, water hoses must be equipped with an automatic shut-off device STAGE 4 RESTRICTIONS No lawn sprinkling by residential or non-residential No watering of residential and non-residential gardens, shrubs, trees and flower beds by any method No drip irrigation No washing of vehicles using any method except for features required for safety (windows, lights, licenses) No refilling of private, commercial and public garden ponds, ornamental fountains, hot-tubs or swimming pools To report watering restriction violations, please call 604-536-6112. The following should also be reported to 604-536-6116, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week: A leaking or damaged water service A leaking or damaged fire hydrant Water leaking from a road or sidewalk Unlawful use of a fire hydrant City of Calgary Residential Watering program “ In Calgary Residential customers comprise 52% of landscape water use.”1 Overwatering is the most common problem in the home landscape. “In 2003, City of Calgary water audits on residential automatic irrigation systems found, on average, lawns received 11.25cm (4.5”) of water a week – that’s nearly five times more than what a lawn actually needs.“2 The City of Calgary has put together a document from the Irrigation Association outlining tips for water conservation. These include : proper scheduling to accommodate different watering needs considering soil types and infiltration rates target watering – plants only change based on seasonal conditions maintain and upgrade your irrigation system consider smart technologies micro systems sensors smart controllers have your system audited 1. http://cpcia.ca/resources/smart-irrigation-month/interesting-facts/ 2. http://cpcia.ca/resources/smart-irrigation-month/interesting-facts/ Resources Efficient Irrigation http://cpcia.ca/resources/smart-irrigation-month/efficient-irrigation-ideas/ Water Smart List http://www.calgary.ca/UEP/Water/Pages/Water-conservation/Lawn-and-garden/Irrigation-systems/Irrigation-Systems.aspx http://cpcia.ca/resources/smart-irrigation-month/interesting-facts/