Pinery Water & Wastewater District

Water Conservation . . .

Voluntary Watering Restrictions

Free DVD

What Every Douglas County Resident Needs To Know About Xeriscaping!

Prepared by the Douglas County Water Resources Authority in cooperation with Douglas County Television.

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Call 303.841.2797, Ext "0"

During the 2008 summer season, the Pinery Water and Wastewater District Board is requesting that all customers voluntarily conserve on water following a 3-day per week watering schedule. During the spring and early-summer months, the front range has experienced unusually hot temperatures and a significant lack of precipitation. The Board understands and appreciates your pride in maintaining beautiful landscaping, a luscious green lawn and blooming plants; however, the demand for water is consistently maximizing the District’s water system and everyone is being asked to help out by conserving. This includes all residents, golf courses, schools, and homeowner’s associations.

Be assured that the Pinery Water District owns adequate water rights and continues to plan for the future water needs of our customers. During this ongoing period of drought, we continue to monitor our water levels closely and work to maximize efficiencies in the system.

The following is the recommended 3-day schedule for future outdoor watering needs:

Some great water conservation tips
www.ext.colostate.edu

Guidelines for when to water

Irrigate when footprints or mower tracks become visible or the lawn become blue-gray in color.
Slowly apply water at rates that replace evaporation so runoff and puddles do not occur.
Move your sprinkler around the yard in cycles to let the water thoroughly and evenly soak in.
Water dry spots instead of the entire lawn.
Water between 9PM & 9AM to avoid evaporation losses from hot and windy weather conditions.

Additional Ways to Conserve Water for Landscaping

Make sure the irrigation system is operating properly, replace broken or missing sprinkler heads.
Make sure the spray heads turn properly & check nozzles for plugging.
Adjust heads so that water does not reach streets and driveways.
Place straight-sided containers (such as tuna fish cans) around the yard during irrigation and measure water depth so that you know how long it takes to apply ¼ to ½ inch of water.
Place containers on persistent dry spots to determine if poor sprinkler coverage is the problem.
Never water if the soil is still wet.

Managing the Water Needs of Plants

Reset automatic controllers according to the seasonal needs of plants. Inspect controls at least once a month to adjust run times.
Shaded plants use less water than plants in full sun.

Mulching for Water Conservation
Mulching reduces evaporation from the soil surface and reduces irrigation needs by approximately 50%!

Use an organic mulch to a depth of approximately 4 inches.
Grass clippings can be used as mulch in the vegetable garden. Do not use clippings from lawns treated with herbicides or other pesticides in the past month.
Use spun or woven permeable landscape fabrics rather than solid sheet plastics.