As well as being one of our most precious natural resources, the rising price of water means maximising water efficiency is an increasing priority for facility managers.
Maintaining grounds and gardens requires high quantities of water and without a proper strategy, water usage and costs can very quickly add up.
There is a number of intelligent grounds maintenance and landscaping strategies that can be implemented to help conserve water, and combat ever-increasing water costs.
Here are four ways facility managers can maximise the water efficiency of their grounds:
Maintain maintenance
Proper maintenance is essential for ensuring irrigation systems run at full efficiency.
Failure to regularly check and maintain the irrigation system can result in a wide range of issues, from water leaks, water-pressure issues and uneven sprays, to loose connections, broken pipes and faulty nozzles.
A consistent maintenance schedule can help ensure these issues are identified and rectified before it becomes too late.
Adjust accordingly
Research has found that up to 40 percent of the water used by irrigation systems goes to waste. A significant portion of this waste is due to automatic watering schedules that don’t take into account variables which will affect the levels of water required.
Changing temperatures, wind speed, humidity, rain and hours of sunlight will all have a significant impact on the amount of water required to maintain the health of plants and turf.
Adjusting schedules based on weather conditions can help save water and also improve plant health. Implementing a smart controller which monitors environmental conditions and adjusts the schedule to reflect these conditions can help reduce water usage by up to 30 percent.
Xeriscaping
A popular trend of recent years for conserving water is to xeriscape grounds. Xeriscaping is a form of gardening that uses plants, turf and other gardening practices that can be maintained with minimal amounts of water. Initially made popular in drought affected areas, xeriscaping has become popular throughout the wider community for its financial and environmental benefits.
Xeriscaped grounds not only use up to two thirds less water than regular grounds, but also greatly reduce the amount of maintenance required.
Professional assistance
Enlisting the help of professional landscaping and ground maintenance services is a great way to achieve a highly efficient water irrigation system and provide advice on xeriscaping your grounds.
A professional landscaping service can provide an audit of your current irrigation system and make recommendations for the design and installation of the most efficient irrigation options for your grounds. They can also provide advice on such things like plant selection, turf, paving, soil and anything else that will impact both the look and the efficiency of your grounds.
Employing professional maintenance services will ensure the time and effort spent in developing a water efficient landscape doesn’t go to waste, and grounds are kept in the best condition all year round.
