Best Practice Guide

Local Governments

Introduction

Planning an Energy Program

Funding and Approval

Education

Lighting

Central HVAC System

Procurement Policy

Building Envelope

Demand Response

Distributed Generation

Water Use

Waste Water

Landscaping and Outdoor Areas

Conservation Planning

New Development

Industry

Residential

Reclamation

Public Education

Bathroom Fixtures

Water Audits

Motors

Food Service

Resources and Appendices

Lessons Learned


Atascadero, City of

La Mesa, City of

London, City of

Pasadena, City of

Redondo Beach

Sacramento, City of

San Francisco, City of


View the Glossary

Water Use

Landscaping and Outdoor Areas

Printer-friendly version

Share your thoughts

Non-residential landscape irrigation accounts for approximately 7.5 percent of all urban water in California; residential irrigation uses another 27 percent of urban water. However, not all of this water is necessary to keep the grass green.

Drip Irrigation
Proponents of drip irrigation systems enthusiastically proclaim the significant water savings of drip irrigation versus the traditional overhead sprinkler systems. Yet drip irrigation was designed as a way to improve plant health and crop yields - water savings are an added bonus.

To understand this, think of a plant as a person who must choose between guzzling a bucket of water in one sitting or sipping multiple glasses of water over time as their thirst dictates. Like that person, a plant can only consume a limited amount of water at any given time; excess water tends to run off and is wasted. Over-saturation actually drowns roots, causing plants to wilt and die. In sandy or gravelly soil, over-saturation can also lead to deep penetration where water moves rapidly past the root zone and is wasted.

Another advantage of drip irrigation is control over where water goes. Or, to put it another way, where water does not go. Pavements (and people) stay dry, weeds in adjacent areas are discouraged, and brown spots caused by uneven watering can be completely eliminated. This means less maintenance in addition to lower water bills.

Turf can also benefit from drip subsurface irrigation systems. Drip is especially good for conquering such common lawn watering problems as awkward shapes and sizes, steep slopes, or narrow strips.

Remote Controls and Evapotranspiration
Automated irrigation systems run the gamut from a simple timer affixed to a faucet that turns water on and off at regular intervals, to complex digital remote controls that communicate with satellite weather stations. New advances have enabled digital systems to calculate local evapotranspiration rates (water loss due to evaporation from the soil and transpiration from the leaves), which can then be transmitted to irrigation controls so that watering schedules can be automatically adjusted.

Regardless of the sophistication of a system, irrigation controls reduce maintenance time, require less water, and improve plant life - all of which saves money while enhancing the beauty of your landscape.

Xeriscaping
When evaluating water efficiency measures for large landscapes, first consider your choice of plants. By selecting native species that naturally thrive in California's unique climatic conditions, the need for intensive irrigation is greatly reduced or eliminated. This is known as xeriscaping. Native plants are particularly good for attracting special neighbors, like migrating birds and butterflies.

Parking Lots and Porous Pavement
Paved surfaces cover about 43,500 square miles in the continental United States, roughly the same area as the state of Ohio. These impervious surfaces contribute to urban heat islands and cost cities and counties millions of dollars for treatment of the subsequent stormwater runoff.

Porous, or permeable pavement, on the other hand, allows rainwater to penetrate paved surfaces and move into underground reservoirs. Eventually, this water joins natural groundwater, where it helps recharge local aquifers.

Porous pavements cost roughly the same to construct as traditional pavements, and may even be up to 25 percent cheaper. Although the financial return for individual companies is relatively low compared to higher return investments, there are significant benefits for the local community. Porous pavements help treat water by filtering out pollutants before they enter the groundwater and fresh water resources. Porous pavements also lessen the need for curbing and help prevent storm sewers from overflowing. Drivers benefit, too, since these surfaces offer better skid resistance.

Other Landscaping Ideas

  • Offer landscape water-use audits
  • Offer a training program for landscape maintenance personnel
  • Utilize or establish an irrigation management information system
  • Develop landscaping design requirements for new development and remodels
  • Develop a service for landscape-plan design review
  • Implement a water-efficient landscaping rebate program
  • Develop water-conservation landscaping demonstration projects
  • Sponsor a conference on water-conserving landscapes


Resources

Morrison, J. and Gleick, P., Freshwater Resources: Managing the Risks Facing the Private Sector. The Pacific Institute, August 2004.

Wolff, G., Cohen, R. and Nelson, B., Energy Down the Drain: the Hidden Costs of California's Water Supply. The Pacific Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council, August 2004.

California Integrated Waste Management Board, Xeriscaping: Establishing a Water Efficient Landscape.

Detroit News, Everyone Undervalues the True Worth of Water. June 19, 2003.