Watering during daylight hours can waste huge amounts of water to evaporation. A town ordinance also makes it illegal to water your lawn between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. from April 1 through October 31.
Water Conservation Tips:
Repair leaks, running toilets, dripping faucets, and broken sprinkler heads immediately. Even a small leak can, over time, result in the loss of thousands of gallons of water.
Ensure your sprinkler system waters only your lawn and not driveways and streets.
Plant drought tolerant plants that require less water (www.txsmartscape.com has a suggested list).
Learn to operate your sprinkler system controls properly, ensuring proper water cycles and durations.
Never water if the soil is wet.
Install soil moisture and rain sensors (required for all new construction); both can be integrated into the controller. Rain sensors will override program irrigation settings when a particular amount of rain is received. Moisture sensors trigger the system when a given moisture level is reached, thereby ensuring plants get the right amount of water, but not more than needed. The town even provides a rebate program for citizens adding sensors to existing systems.
Reduce runoff, which can carry fertilizer and some pesticides onto streets, drainage ditches, and storm drains, polluting and damaging water quality in the receiving streams. This happens when a resident over waters, has his/her irrigation system improperly cycled, waters during rain, or the system needs repair.
Use a rain barrel to collect rain water for use as irrigation. This reduces run-off and lowers your water bill. The town offers a rebate program for the installation of up to two rain barrels per residence.
Shop for and use water-efficient appliances and toilets. Fairview has a rebate program for certain types of washing machines.
Additional Water Conservation Measures:
Increase water rates for large users. By increasing rates for users of over 10,000 gallons per month, and especially implementing large increases for those using over 30,000 gallons, we will encourage water conversation, which will in turn also reduce water runoff. Higher fees will encourage conservation and/or generate new revenues that can be used for other public purposes. Proceeds from higher rates could be earmarked for environmental expenses; such as Phase II stormwater permitting requirements so there is an even closer nexus of benefit between the charge and its use.
Xeriscaping. Native plants only should be used at town facilities, and should be encouraged on privately developed properties to reduce the need for frequent watering.
Require “smart” irrigation. A significant amount of water is wasted by unnecessary watering. Irrigation sensors can detect the presence of moisture and curtail over-watering. Certain types of sprinkler heads may be more efficient than others as well.
Encourage rainwater harvesting. Collection and re-use of rainwater for irrigation should be tried at new town facilities, and also encouraged through incentives for private construction.
Protect and maintain all creeks and creekways with significant buffers. Such areas should not be disturbed so that vegetation, trees, animal habitats, etc. are not disturbed. This will reduce pollution, erosion, and stormwater runoff, while also improving the town’s quality of life and aesthetics.
