Is Your Home Waterwise, It's Easy to Find Out - Redwood City, California
- 1. A Publication of Redwood City Water Resources Management Program September / October 2006 O u r Wa t e r S u p p l y Helping Redwood City to be a WaterWise Community Just call Redwood City’s Water Conservation Get Ready for staff at 780-7436 to schedule a FREE “Smart Fall Planting Home” Water Use House Call! Are you planning to re-design or make im- Our technician will visit your home at a convenient provement to your garden? A world of time, for an outdoor and indoor inspection. ideas is just a mouse click away! The indoor inspection includes: Redwood City has produced a WaterWise • Leak detection: check toilets, showers, and Gardening CD-ROM just for You. faucets for leaks. • Evaluation of water fixtures: Measures show- The Water Wise CD Features: erhead and faucet flow rates. • Garden Tours: Features many exam- • Installing high-efficiency showerheads and ples of water efficient gardens right here in faucet aerators, if needed, for free. the Redwood City area. • Demonstration of “How to Read Your Water Meter.” • Garden Gallery: Offers great exam- ples of ornamental garden features, such • Smart Water-Use recommendations and water saving tips. as decks, patios, trellises, gates, gazebos, fences, walkways, and more ways to en- The outdoor inspection includes: hance your garden. • Evaluation of your irrigation system. • Plant Database: Look up plants by • Measurement of the landscaped areas. type, size color or name, and view plant photos, and plant characteristics. • A recommended watering schedule. • Gardening Guide: A virtual encyclope- • Smart Water-Use recommendations and water saving tips. dia of WaterWise gardening design, main- tenance and irrigation to maximize your And for a limited time, when you participate in our water use efficiency. free Water Use House Call, you’ll Your free CD is waiting for you! get a free water moisture meter for Call 780-7436 or go online to: your plants, so redwoodcity.org/conservation to request you’ll always know your copy of Redwood City’s new Water- when they’re thirsty! Wise Gardening CD-ROM. www.redwoodcity.org/conservation 650-780-7436
- 2. The fall months of September, October and November, means shorter days, the approach of our rainy season, and a continuous drop in the average daily temperature from a high of about 80o gradually lowering to an average of about 65o. As fall progresses, you don’t need to water as much as during the summer months. The chart below is a good way to determine how much you should be watering your lawn. With just a little effort, you can save hundreds of gallons of water, or more! Don’t forget to check for clogged or broken sprinkler heads once a month! FALL SCHEDULE FOR YOUR TURF OR LAWN NUMBER OF MINUTES PER STATION 5 minutes NUMBER OF START TIMES PER DAY 3 start times (Cycling) * NUMBER OF WATER DAYS PER WEEK 2 days TOTAL MINUTES PER WEEK 30 minutes FOR EACH STATION * Water Saving Strategy: Cycling! To save water, run a sprinkler station for no more than 5 minutes, wait one hour or so for the water to soak in - then run the sprinklers again for another 5 minutes. Such repeated start times allow for the water to be absorbed into the soil and avoid wasteful run-off. And remember, shrubs only need 15 minutes per week in the Fall season. For more helpful hints call the conservation hotline at 650-780-7436 to request your FREE copy of the new Redwood City WATER WISE GARDENING CD ROM. These guidelines will help you save water every time your sprinkler is on! Visit www.redwoodcity.org/conservation for sug- gested watering schedules for other types of landscape. Your service club, neighborhood association, community organization, or other group can learn more about water conservation — Redwood City offers a Water Conservation Speakers Bureau that provides an informative and interesting presentation for your gathering. Call 780-7436 to schedule a speaker for your group. www.redwoodcity.org/conservation 650-780-7436