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Lisa Roberts

Irrigation  -  Watering Systems

  • If a sprinkler system is in use, make sure the water is landing on the garden and not the footpath, road, or your paved areas
  • Conventional sprinklers deliver large amounts of water to large areas and can be very wasteful if not carefully positioned
  • Computerised watering systems deliver a set amount of water at specified times, to specific parts of the garden.  Tap timers are a useful and cheap alternative
  • Consider replacing inefficient sprinkler systems with drip irrigation. The main advantage is that it sends water to the roots of your plants.  Inline drippers, weeping hoses and drip tubes are designed for placing under mulch. These are low-pressure watering systems which, over a period of several hours, deliver water directly to plant roots. Inline drippers are also suitable for lawns
  • Check your sprinklers and timers regularly and make sure they’re working efficiently
  • If you’re not using an automatic timer for a sprinkler, use an alarm clock to remind yourself to turn it off
  • Use an adjustable water-efficient hose nozzle, that ranges from a high-pressure jet to a mist spray.  A trigger nozzle allows the water flow to be totally shut off.  Turn the tap off when you’ve finished with the hose to avoid leaks
  • Check your hose, connectors and nozzles regularly for leaks
  • Use a broom rather than a hose to remove leaves or dirt from hardscaping such as footpaths and driveways

Other Water Saving Tips

  • Recycle the water used by garden water features
  • Upgrade swimming pool filters to water-efficient models that reduce the wastage of back-flushing
  • Cover the swimming pool when not in use. This keeps the water clean (reducing the need for filtering) and reduces evaporation by up to 90 per cent
  • Wash your car on the grass, not the driveway, so it gets a water at the same time. Use a bucket, not a hose and check water restrictions before washing.  It is more water-efficient to wash your car at a commercial car wash where water is recycled