Your Guide to Saving Water Outdoors in the Summer
During the summer months, we spend a lot more time outdoors. Whether we’re watering our lawns and gardens, playing in pools and sprinklers, or washing our cars, there’s no doubt that summertime equals more water usage. We’re even drinking more water to stay hydrated under the summer sun. These activities are great for family bonding time but not so great for energy and water bills.
The bottleless water cooler team at Artesian Bottleless Water knows that water waste indoors is critical, but what about the water waste outdoors? Well, today we’re going to discuss how you can save water outdoors in the summer and how you can start today!
Summer Causes High Water Bills
According to the EPA, some places see a rise in summer water usage that’s three to four times higher than any other time of the year. This higher usage is because those with outdoor lawn irrigation systems often forget to check the weather forecasts and set their irrigation systems back when rain is coming. The EPA also estimates that 50% of this water evaporates, gets carried away by the wind, or adds runoff from your property. Therefore, saving water outdoors in the summer is so essential, and here are several ways you can accomplish this.
4 Ways to Save Water Outdoors in the Summer
1. Don’t Cut Your Grass Short
We understand that having a well-manicured lawn is always the goal, but some homeowners think they need to keep their lawns short just to maintain them. This isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, many lawncare experts will suggest that you keep your grass a little longer, so it shades the soil and keeps moisture locked in. When grass blades are cut short, water can evaporate from the soil, leaving you with no option but to water your grass over and over again just to keep it from dying under the heat of the summer sun.
2. Adjust Your Sprinkler Heads
If you have an irrigation system in place (lucky you), then the best way to save water in the summer is by adjusting your sprinkler heads. Irrigation systems come with sprinkler heads that you can adjust to maximize your water usage and cover the most turf with each spray. However, many homeowners don’t adjust them properly or they leave them on full blast, which leads to overwatering and more water waste. If you know rain is in the forecast, consider shutting off your system entirely so that you don’t waste water and instead rely on what nature offers.
3. Don’t Overfill Your Pool
For many homes, inground pools provide endless hours of fun. Not only are these backyard structures an oasis from the heat, but they’re also very costly when it comes to water usage and energy bills. If saving water outdoors in the summer is your goal, then you might want to consider monitoring how much water you’re putting in your pool. You can also replace filters and keep your filter traps clear to prevent backwashing, which just wastes more water. Ensure you always keep your pool chemically treated; otherwise, you could find yourself draining the entire thing because of algae growth, and refilling it will cost you even more money and water.
4. Go to a Carwash
We know how much of an escape washing your car in the driveway can be, but it’s also a colossal waste of water. One of the best ways to save water outdoors in the summer is by taking your car to a car wash rather than doing it yourself. Not only is a carwash more efficient timewise, but it’s also more efficient with water and energy. Even if you use the self-spray stations, you’re still saving yourself time and money by not letting all that water run down your driveway and into the gutter system.
Save Water Indoors, Too
When it comes to saving water outdoors in the summer, we encourage all homeowners to rethink the number of times they reach for the hose or what they’re using their outdoor water supplies for. When it comes to saving water indoors, Artesian Bottleless Water & Air Purification can help even further! Not only do each of our bottleless water coolers keep you, your family, and your staff hydrated all day long, but they also come with a leak detector and shut-off valve. Once the sensor detects a leak, your system will automatically shut off, so you don’t have to worry about water damage or wasting water indoors. To try any of our water and ice machines for free, call the Artesian office nearest you.
