Tips to Reduce Your Water Usage This August

Municipal water usage more than doubles during the summer months, especially during hot, humid August days. Whether you're topping up your swimming pool, hosing off the car, or simply giving your flower bed a quick drink, water conservation needs to be at the forefront of your thoughts. Increased water demand places stress on the municipal water system in Ottawa, which often results in increased costs to tax payers and water users. During times of extreme demand, it isn't uncommon for local municipalities to actually restrict certain types of watering practices and residential sprinkler system usage in order to avoid excessive use and protect the local water supply. When situations like this arise in your neighbourhood, don't despair. Nutri-Lawn can help you keep your lawn and garden looking lovely, even when water is hard to come by.

Improve Your Watering Practices
As we all know, much of the summer peak demand for water in Ottawa can be traced back to lawn and garden maintenance. Unfortunately, most homeowners in the area just aren't familiar with efficient water practices, which often results in water wastage due to over-watering, evaporation, and run-off. The following are four tips to increase the efficiency of your lawn watering system:

1. Consider an irrigation upgrade. Don't just guess at how much moisture your lawn needs. Trust an advanced weather-sensing watering system to provide you with the right amount of water every time. Nutri-Lawn proudly offers a number of scientifically advanced residential sprinkler systems that are designed to work with Mother Nature in order to provide optimum irrigation all summer long.
2. Understand that gardens require different watering techniques. Traditional sprinkler systems aren't designed for garden applications. This is because they aren't capable of administering the water in a way that's beneficial to the root of the plant. Flowers and vegetables require a residential sprinkler system that delivers water slowly and directly to the root, either by way of a drip or trickle mechanism. For more information on garden-specific sprinkler systems, contact an irrigation specialist at Nutri-Lawn Ottawa.
3. Choose plants and grasses that will thrive in your soil conditions. When it comes to landscaping your Ottawa yard, make sure you take some time to research what plants and grasses will hold up best given the local climate and your yard's soil type. Low maintenance lawns are normally made up of a diverse mix of hardy, drought-tolerant, and slow-growing mid-height grasses. Common types include fescue, broadleaf, and turf grass species.
4. Work with Mother Nature, and not against her. You'd be surprised how much moisture your lawn can retain following a thorough summer rain. If you don't already, set out a measuring cup in order to monitor the amount of rainfall your yard receives naturally. This will make it easier for you to set your residential sprinkler system properly.

Conserve More Water
Lawn and garden watering is just one of many outdoor activities that can lead to unnecessary water wastage. The following are a few additional tips to help increase the amount of water you conserve at your Ottawa home.

1. If you have a pool in your yard, make sure that you cover it when it isn't in use. This will help prevent unnecessary evaporation.
2. Use a broom instead of a power washer to remove dirt and debris from driveways and walkways.
3. Invest in a rain barrel in order to collect water that can then be used to irrigate planters and flower beds.
4. Don't use a hose when washing your car. Instead, use a sponge and bucket to avoid wasting too much water.

Are you using more water than necessary to keep your Ottawa lawn and garden looking lush? A quick consultation with a residential sprinkler system expert from Nutri-Lawn will help you reign in your water usage and provide you with the knowledge needed to improve your irrigation practices.