Irrigation expert Bruce Moore Sr. president of Eastern Land Management, shares seven water conservation steps to reduce waste of valuable potable water at your place of business.
- Inventory all water consuming machinery. Examples: plumbing, sinks, toilets, showers, heating equipment, cooling towers, boilers, pools, spas, fountains, and landscape irrigation, document and fix leaks.
- Conduct a water audit: Consult a licensed landscape irrigation expert for analysis and recommendation. Example: installing water monitoring sub-meters to measure source flow.
- Create a written water usage management plan. Make it company policy and issue a statement to employees.
- Leaky irrigation systems are notorious as one-source water wasters. Almost every 3-5 year old system leaks, watering unnecessary areas, running off into streets, walkways, gutters. Broken sprinkler heads are a big culprit.
- For sidewalk hosing, retire the common hose/nozzle using 8-12 gal. per minute. Replace with a pressurized Waterbroom to save about 9 gpm.
- Future plumbing purchases? Look for the EPA approved WaterSense label, that assures 30 percent in savings.
- Consider Xeriscaping: Landscapes that use hardy native species, drought resistant plants, grasses, and trees to minimize need for water.
A smart irrigation strategy will not only save money and enhance your landscape, but it will help your business move one step closer to sustainability. So go ahead… kick off a company initiative to preserve precious potable water.
Eastern Land Management is a full-service commercial landscape and irrigation management company in southeastern Conn., and Westchester County, N.Y.
