As we turn our clocks ahead an hour on March 9 for Daylight Saving Time, lawn watering schedules for residents of 16 Florida counties, including Orange, change, too, going from one to two days per week.
Irrigation accounts for more than half of Central Florida’s total water consumption, but OUC wants to help you minimize its impact on your utility bill and a precious natural resource. Perhaps the most convenient thing you can do to conserve water is take advantage of OUC’s Efficiency Delivered® program, which offers customers a free conservation audit. Depending on your household’s income, OUC may help cover a portion of the costs to repair irrigation and minor indoor leaks, install a WaterSense®-labeled irrigation controller, replace old toilets made before 1994, as well as other improvements. Eligible customers may also qualify for up to 24 months of installments to pay for their portion of the improvements as a charge on their OUC bill. Call 407-423-9018 or go to www.ouc.com/audit-inquiry for more information.
Here are some tips for watering your lawn more efficiently and effectively:
- Follow the St. Johns River Water Management District’s Water Restrictions: Residential property owners with even numbered addresses can water on Thursdays and Sundays, while those with odd-numbered or no addresses can water on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Nonresidential property owners can water on Tuesdays and Fridays. Watering between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. is prohibited. Also:
- Water for no more than one hour per irrigation zone.
- Avoid watering on windy days.
- Adjust sprinklers so they water the lawn, not the pavement.
- Avoid sprinklers that spray a fine mist.
- Make sure plants aren’t blocking sprinklers.
- Turn off sprinklers when it’s raining.
- Examine your system at least once every two months for leaks and broken sprinkler heads and promptly make repairs. Check for signs of broken or leaky sprinkler system pipes by looking for muddy or overgrown areas of turf. Make sure your sprinkler system’s timer/controller is operating as programmed, so it operates on the right days, at the right times, for the right durations.