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In most areas of the United States, more water is used in July than any other month, and much of that water is dedicated to keeping lawns and landscaping lush and green. For this reason, the Irrigation Association has named July “Smart Irrigation Month.”
This month, the Miami-Dade County Water and Sewer Department (WASD) invites the community to take a few minutes to identify ways to become more water efficient and still maintain beautiful yards and landscaping.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American household uses about 30 percent of its water outdoors, while in some parts of the country, this can be as high as 70 percent. Experts estimate that as much as 50 percent of landscape water use goes to waste due to evaporation, wind, or runoff caused by overwatering. Some households may lose up to 70 gallons of water each day. In fact, one broken or missing sprinkler component in your irrigation system could result in wasting 1,000 gallons of water per week.
“Water is our most valuable resource,” said Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department director Roy Coley. “Using smart irrigation technologies and practices help to ensure water resources for tomorrow. The department offers many tips and opportunities that allow us all to not only water wisely, but to save money and not sacrifice maintaining our lawns and landscaping.”
In Miami-Dade County, there are permanent watering restrictions. Homeowners with odd numbered addresses may water their lawns before 10 a.m. or after 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays while residents with even numbered addresses may water on Thursdays and Sundays during the same time period.
WASD offers single-family homeowners and large property owners’ free evaluations of their in-ground irrigation systems as a part of the county’s Landscape Irrigation Rebate Program.
The evaluation will provide recommendations on how to make the property’s irrigation system more water efficient. Homeowners who implement the recommendations will qualify for up to $500 in rebates per year for up to five years, while large property owners (i.e. homeowner associations, hotels, commercial properties, etc.) can receive up to $2,850 per property.
For more information on this and other water conservation programs, visit www.miamidade.gov/conservation.
