Water Agency Requirements
The biggest change for urban water suppliers is the creation of a floor, or minimum standard, for outdoor irrigation restrictions. Outdoor irrigation represents 50 to 80 percent of all water use for some communities in the state. Irrigating outdoor ornamental landscapes is a questionable use of a limited resource when some communities are running out of water in this fourth consecutive year of drought. Urban water suppliers must now limit the number of days per week that customers can irrigate outdoors. The limit must either be specified in their drought contingency plans; or if their plan contains no specific limit, irrigation is limited to no more than two days per week.
In a drought this severe, we need to think differently about our daily water use, and need to sacrifice emerald green lawns and other water use luxuries,” Marcus said. “At a time when hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland lie fallow, thousands are out of work, communities are running out of water, and fish and wildlife are devastated, and when locally stored urban water supplies are shrinking, we need to step up the pace of conservation. Water agencies should be motivating customers to take even more responsibility for the amount of water used in homes, backyards, businesses, parks and everywhere else.”
Prohibited Water Use
Under today’s action, the prohibitions on potable water use, first adopted in 2014, will continue, and new prohibitions will go into effect. All Californian’s are now prohibited from:
- washing down sidewalks and driveways;
- watering outdoor landscapes in a manner that causes excess runoff;
- washing a motor vehicle with a hose, unless the hose is fitted with a shut-off nozzle;
- operating a fountain or decorative water feature, unless the water is part of a recirculating system; and
- irrigating turf or ornamental landscapes during and 48 hours following measurable precipitation (new).
Here are Some of Our Drought Tips for Cutting Water Use:
Some commercial landscape maintenance service companies may want to choose plants solely based on appearance, but choosing plants that thrive with minimal water in a drought is the key to maintaining properties aesthetics regardless of the current drought conditions.
1. Consider The Incentive Rebates in Your Area
Santa Clara Valley Water District offers a Landscape Conversion Rebate for up to $2.00 per square foot of converted high water using landscape to low water using landscape located within Santa Clara County. Multi-family properties, and business properties with qualifying irrigation hardware can receive irrigation rebates for the installation of high efficiency irrigation equipment including high efficiency sprinkler nozzles and Smart Weather based controllers. Eligibility requirements apply
2. A smart Bay Area Landscaping Company will reduce lawn area's—30,000 Square Foot Lawn Uses 1 Million Gallons Per Year
For some it’s not easy to imagine a lush landscape without an expansive lawn. But the reality is, a thriving lawn requires a lot of water to keep green. Depending on your region, some estimate that one square foot of lawn requires 35 gallons of water per year. If lawn is replaced with drought resistant plant material-after establishment the cost of water can potentially be reduced by up to 50%-70%.
3. Consider The Benefits of Mulch
Mulches improve water infiltration and reduce water evaporation resulting in water conservation. Placing mulch over the soil reduces light and can reduce weed seed germination by up to 90%. It requires a 2 inch layer of mulch to produce this result, but smaller amounts are also helpful.
4. Use Water Intelligently
No matter what you do to drought-proof your landscape, you’ll still need to apply some water to keep your landscape alive. Drip irrigation systems conserve water by applying water directly to the plants root zone. If watering manually, water in the early hours of the morning when temperatures are down with less wind, and apply water to the soil rather than directly to the plants. Installing a rain water harvesting system is a great way to collect the water that runs off a structure putting it to good use – and the water can be used even if local watering restrictions are mandatory.
5. Use Less Plants
Finally, reducing plant density will make a significant difference. Many properties are overplanted at the onset of construction because owners want lush landscaping iquickly. But, as plants mature in size, they become too large for the space and not only use too much water, but can also restrict the irrigation heads resulting in water waste and runoff.
6. Partner with a Commercial Landscaping Company That Knows Water Management
Is your company working with a certified water management company? If not, doing so could help mitigate water conservation.
At first glance, a landscape company may seem as though it has little to do with water conservation. These companies offer landscape services like facilitating landscape upgrades, or maintaining your lawns and exterior landscaping or repairing broken irrigation. But managing water is much different than a mow and blow company.
Importantly, water management and conservation is an important aspect of managing a properties landscaping, and the right landscaping company can help in this area. A Water management company can create a scientific water budget tailored to your property’s needs, arrange for a water audit, check the effectiveness and efficiency of your watering system., facilitate better communication with upper management and manage water-saving improvements for landscaping projects.
Conserving water in a drought is now a way of life in California. If you are already working with a commercial landscape management company, make sure they are doing their best to help you reduce water consumption. Is your account management team doing their part? Contact FloraTerra today to arrange for a FREE consultation and to receive valuable insight. Your management team needs to start saving water, reducing your maintenance costs and improving the Bay Area environment.
Interested in learning how to conserve water in your landscape?
Get Our FREE Landscaping Drought Guide Below!
Maintenance in San Jose - Landscape Renovation
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