PRESS RELEASE

City of Woodland

300 First Street

The City of Woodland is celebrating Smart Irrigation Month by helping the community conserve water, save money, and see better results in their yard. Smart Irrigation Month is a public awareness campaign to promote efficient water use. Focused on July, traditionally the month of peak demand for outdoor water use, the campaign highlights different ways that the community can help minimize overwatering while keeping lawns, gardens, and landscapes beautiful and healthy.

As California faces one of its driest years on record, it’s important to water efficiently and avoid water waste. While the City does not have mandatory watering restrictions at this time, we ask residents to use water efficiently and avoid water waste when possible. Since irrigation is one of the highest water users, most residential and commercial properties typically over-water, unintentionally wasting money every time they take out the hose or turn on their sprinklers. To help practice smart irrigation, our Water Conservation program encourages the community to:

• Monitor Your Timing. In the middle of the day, temperatures are at their peak and water will evaporate much quicker. Irrigate before 10am or after 6pm to reduce evaporation.
• Cycle and Soak. Reduce runoff by watering multiple times for shorter periods and waiting 30-60 minutes between cycles. Visit BeyondtheDrought.com to get the right run times for your yard.
• Inspect and Repair. Routinely check for leaks and broken, clogged, or misting sprinkler heads. If you see over-spray, adjust the sprinkler heads to avoid spraying your house, driveway, or sidewalk.
• Check Your Water Output. High water use during irrigation periods, or sudden changes in your bill, could be a sign of a leak. Sign up for AquaHawk at EnviroWoodland.org/MyWaterUse to see how much water your system is using during watering times. If there is continuous water usage showing up on all hours of the day and night, you have a leak!
• Adjust Your System. During the hot summer, it’s easy to overwater your landscape from fear of plants and landscape drying up. Weather Based Irrigation Controllers (WBIC) use real-time, local weather data to help determine when and how much water is needed automatically. The City of Woodland offers WBIC rebates up to $150. Learn more at EnviroWoodland.org/Rebates.
  

For residents interested in converting their green lawn to a water-wise yard, visit WaterWiseWoodland.Weebly.com for inspiration and plants list from real life examples in Woodland. Environmental Services will also be sharing “Smart Irrigation Month” tips throughout July on @EnviroWoodland social media pages and invite you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Smart Irrigation Month is an initiative of the Irrigation Association, a nonprofit industry organization dedicated to promoting efficient irrigation. Visit www.smartirrigationmonth.org to learn more.