Navigate the heat while being Smart About Water

During our record temperatures this summer, Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) wants to remind customers that water conservation practices are in force, which includes assigned-day watering. Using your sprinklers three days a week will keep your yard healthy while avoiding waste during the heat of the summer. When customers do their part by watering on their assigned days, it also helps to stabilize demands which puts less stress on the system.

Water in the Truckee Meadows is a precious resource. “Water used for landscaping increases the average residential customer’s water use up to four times compared to indoor use in the winter months,” explained Bill Hauck, TMWA’s water supply supervisor.

While temperatures are high, it’s good to remember TMWA’s smart watering practices that have helped this community mitigate scorching summers for over three decades:

• The best times to water your lawn are in the evening or early in the morning when the ground and air temperatures are cool. Because of evaporation, watering is not allowed during the heat of the day, from noon – 6 p.m.
• Turn your sprinklers off when it’s raining or windy.
• If you water your lawn and runoff occurs, cut the time by two-minute increments until runoff stops. Or, if your lawn is still dry, add another cycle about one hour later. This will help you establish how many minutes your water cycle should be.
• For stressed plants, you can hand water or use your drip system any time and any day of the week.
• Finally, if you haven’t already, doublecheck your sprinkler and drip system for leaks. The heat can expand drip system tubing making emitters more likely to disconnect.

Also, the Nevada Extension (extension.unr.edu) has many reference papers for maintaining

healthy landscapes in our region in the summertime, which include the following tips:

• Bring container plants in an area shaded during the afternoon to ensure they don’t dry in the afternoon heat.
• Keep your lawn healthy during the hottest months by mowing lawns on the highest settings.

TMWA is dedicated to encouraging smart water use and helping customers prevent unnecessary waste. Sometimes customers, whether business or residential, simply do not realize they have a leak or broken sprinkler head. If you see water being wasted, please call the Conservation Department at 775-834-8005.

For more information about water-efficient landscaping, please visit tmwa.com/landscape.