The proper lawn care and irrigation system can save you a ton of money when it comes to your regular water bill.
Maintaining your lawn can be expensive. There are many ways these costs can vary,
but it basically boils down to water costs. Being mindful of your water consumption
is always a good idea. It becomes especially important when you’re trying to save
some money. No matter what type of irrigation system you use to water your lawn,
knowing how much you’re using and how much you should be using can help save
you money.
How Much Water Should Your Lawn Be Getting?
Especially during warmer months, you should water early in the morning. This
gives the water more time to soak in before the sun has a chance to evaporate it
away. The exact amount of water necessary will vary based on your climate,
weather, and time of year. A good general guideline is to be sure your lawn gets
about 1” per 7 days of dry weather. If it’s been a week since the last precipitation,
it’s probably time to turn on the irrigation system.
If you want to get an idea of how much water your grass is actually getting, place
containers with straight sides (think coffee mug) throughout the lawn before
starting the irrigation system or before it’s supposed to rain. When the system is
done its cycle, or the rain stops, measure the depth of the water in the mug.
How Much Water Are You Using?
In order to give your lawn an inch of water, it requires just over half a gallon (0.623
gallon, actually) per square foot. So, every 10’x10’ section of lawn would need over
62 gallons of water. Doesn’t really sound like much, does it? Well if your yard is
100’x100’, you’re going to use 6,230 gallons of water every time you turn on the
sprinklers. That’s a lot of water! If your yard isn’t square or rectangular, you may
want to break out the tape measure and a way to record measurements in order to
make your calculations.
How Much Does it Cost?
Since you’ve figured out how much water you’re using, you can now figure out how
much all that is going to cost you. Most city water systems show separate prices for
water and sewage on monthly statements. These prices are calculated by
multiplying the price per gallon of water times the number of gallons you use. For
example, if you’re the person mentioned above who is using 6,230 gallons of water,
it’d be 6,230 x the price per gallon. But there’s more! For every gallon of water that
comes from your faucet, you’re also charged for a gallon of sewer use. Regardless of
whether it’s going down the drain or on your lawn.
Many cities are willing to install a separate meter just for the irrigation system that
can save quite a bit of money, but be careful. Owners of these meters are often
required to pay a monthly minimum whether the irrigation system is used or not.
You should look at your water bill to know exactly what you will be charged.
Lawn Irrigation Systems from Aqua Bright
For more information about irrigation and drainage for your Maryland home, call
Aqua-Bright today at 410-489- 9009 or take a tour of our website. We offer top-
notch irrigation services from seasoned professionals. You can follow Aqua-Bright
Irrigation & Illumination on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn for more
updates and information about our illumination and irrigation services! For
examples of our work, check us out on Pinterest, too.