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Save Money by Saving Water on Your Lawn

If your New Year’s resolution is to save money, your lawn might be a great place to start.

In Polk County, irrigation should account for 30% of residential water usage; however, some areas are reporting up to 50%. Some Polk County Utilities (PCU) customers average up to 2,309 gallons of water per day on irrigation alone. That’s about the same amount of water that a Polk County Fire Rescue tanker truck can hold.

High water usage not only impacts Polk County’s water supply but your monthly water bill as well. However, you can reduce your monthly water use for irrigation by taking a few simple steps.

Before looking at ways to conserve water through lawn or landscape irrigation, you must first make sure you are following Polk County’s irrigation guidelines. For residential and commercial customers of PCU, lawn watering is limited to twice per week regardless of water source. Property owners who fail to adhere to these restrictions could face fines. View the lawn and landscape irrigation guidelines to learn more.

Here are five ways to conserve money by conserving water on your lawn:

  1. Check your irrigation timer. Irrigation system timers sometimes reset after a power outage or a heavy storm. If your property experienced a power outage during the last hurricane season, your irrigation timer may have reset to the default setting without your knowledge. If this is the case, your lawn could be receiving water more often than you had intended, which wastes water and increases your monthly bill.
  2. Now that you have checked your irrigation timer settings, are you sure that all areas of your lawn are being watered evenly? If your sprinkler system is set up so that some areas are receiving more water than others, it could be costing you extra money. You can check your irrigation system’s efficiency by conducting a catch-can test. Here’s a step-by-step video from Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD).
  3. Check for leaks. Even a small leak can drip hundreds of gallons of water per month – and leak money out of your wallet. Check all water faucets, hoses and connectors to make sure they are in good, working order. Also make sure that all faucets are completely closed when not in use.
  4. Water less often during the cold season. During the colder months, your lawn does not need as much watering. In fact, if you have received any significant rainfall recently, you can turn off your irrigation system and operate it manually as needed. Here’s how you can tell it’s time to water your lawn:
  • Grass blades fold in half
  • Grass is turning a blue-gray color
  • When you step outside, your footprints remain on the lawn.

If it’s cold outside in Florida, #SkipaWeek of watering and only water your lawn when it’s necessary.

5. Makeover your lawn by planting a Florida-friendly landscape. A Florida-friendly lawn is one that requires minimal water, fertilizers and pesticides to thrive. This type of landscaping is comprised of drought-tolerant plants and trees. In addition to reducing your outdoor water usage, Florida-friendly landscapes provide habitats for birds, butterflies and other wildlife. Don’t know where to start? Contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County at (863) 519-1041.

Polk County Wants to Help You Save Water

PCU offers a sprinkler system check-up at no cost to high-volume water users who have averaged at least 14,000 gallons of water use per month over a three-month period. The program is available to single and multi-family homes and commercial businesses.

To qualify, customers must meet these requirements:

  • Be a PCU customer connected for at least 12 months.
  • Have a landscape irrigation system already installed.
  • Use an average of 14,000 gallons per month over the last three-month period.

If you qualify, PCU will send a technician to your home to give your sprinkler system a check-up at no cost to you. Each evaluation will include:

  • Irrigation system evaluation with site-specific recommendations. A technician will provide you with personalized irrigation strategies for your landscaping.
  • Assistance with proper irrigation timer settings
  • System functionality check. Are all your spray heads in working order? Do you have a sneaky line leak? The technician will inform you of any issues.
  • Rain sensor evaluation and installation. Rain sensors tell your irrigation system to shut off after significant rainfall so that your landscaping does not receive an excess of water. While the cost of the rain sensor is the responsibility of the property owner, a technician can help with installation as part of the sprinkler system check-up.
  • Smart timer installation. Smart timers can be managed from a phone or a tablet, which is ideal for part-time Polk County residents who need to be able to control their irrigation system remotely. The purchase of the smart timer is also responsibility of the property owner.

To see if you qualify for a no-cost sprinkler system evaluation, contact PCU at (863) 298-4244.

Does your water use not quite reach an average of 14,000 gallons per month? Still, reach out. PCU can give you tips on how to lower your water usage and your monthly bill.

HOAs and housing management companies are also eligible for an irrigation system evaluation.

Watch this video to learn more about the program.


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