We’ve already ditched our personal New Year’s resolutions, but our professional ones are going strong! Our #1 priority? Helping our eco-friendly clients reduce water usage rates in 2022.
Most water usage happens outside of commercial property facilities, so let’s take look at five ways Atlanta property owners can reduce water consumption on commercial landscapes.
Meet The Needs Of Your Commercial Landscaping
You can’t provide blanket irrigation coverage to your entire property: Each plant has specific watering needs. If you give them all the same schedule, some will wilt, and others will be starving for more water.
You can remedy this issue by installing a low-volume drip irrigation system that customizes the water delivery. Ensure the system is designed with multiple, independent zones so the property manager can schedule the irrigation according to each area’s watering needs.
Drip irrigation helps reduce:
- Weed prevalence
- Soil erosion
- Risk of plant disease
The system will give adequate water coverage if the landscape is unusually shaped, even on hard-to-reach areas. In addition, you can use special nozzles with variable arcs to deliver precise coverage in odd-shaped spaces.
A drip irrigation system will cost less to install than a traditional system since it doesn’t typically require excavation and as much installation time.
Retrofit Your Current System
Improve your irrigation system’s performance by making simple retrofits. Even minor tweaks can have a significant effect on your water usage rates. Here are three that can save you water and money.
- As plants grow, their watering needs can change. Have a commercial landscape contractor look at the different watering zones to see if they are still needed. If they find that some areas are no longer necessary, they can shut them down — significantly reducing your usage.
- The contractor should also look at the system’s pressure to ensure it isn’t too high, adjusting as necessary. High pressure can cause the irrigation system to overreach its location, creating runoff and water waste.
- High-flow nozzles that malfunction can also push water out at high rates, wasting water. You can upgrade to multi-trajectory, rotating nozzles to apply the water more uniformly.
All of these low-cost retrofit options can be incorporated quickly to help you start saving water now.
Install Smart Controllers
Take the guesswork out of your system, and let a smart irrigation controller figure it all out.
Smart controllers base your watering schedule on evapotranspiration (ET), the amount of water lost from the soil due to evaporation, and the plant’s water use. The controllers determine how much ET has occurred and apply only the needed moisture.
Smart controllers also use weather data and site conditions to know when to irrigate. They ensure your system is only running when it’s needed — not just because “it’s time.”
Add a Rain Sensor
There’s nothing worse than watching an irrigation system spray water while it’s raining. However, you can make sure that doesn’t happen on your site by installing rain sensors.
These sensors will help prevent your system from over and under-watering. In addition, they are designed to interrupt an irrigation cycle during a rain event.
The rain sensors can help prevent flooding and water wastage, making them integral.
Harvest Rainwater
Take advantage of the natural resources on your site by harvesting rainwater. You can capture, store, and use the water for your landscape irrigation.
Here are a few benefits of harvesting rainwater:
- Reduces runoff, flooding, and erosion
- Helpful during drought conditions
- It cuts back on water usage
- May qualify you for tax incentives
One system that will help you with that is a cistern, a large collection tank that can be installed above or below ground. Cisterns have covered tanks to prevent algae, evaporation, and contamination if adequately maintained.
Reduce Water Consumption In 2022 With HighGrove Partners
Reducing your commercial property’s water usage will save you money and resources — who doesn’t want that?
HighGrove Partners’ experienced water management team will create a specific plan for your site to improve your usage rates. Our cost-effective water management solutions are designed to save from 20 to 40 percent of your water use.
We will analyze your current water consumption and evaluate your irrigation zones, pressure, and coverage areas. Then, we’ll determine what improvements are needed to build a sustainable irrigation program.
Call us at 678-298-0550 or contact us online to see how we can improve your water usage rates.
Last modified: February 10, 2022