With peak summer heat on the horizon, a cost-saving service has arrived to help Greater Vernon residents with their yards’ water needs.
Greater Vernon Water is re-introducing its WaterWise Yard Check-Up program, a free service to help residents match their irrigation efforts to the needs of their yard with the help of its water ambassador.
Residents who sign up for the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) service will see a run-through of their irrigation system complete with hydrozone mapping, soil testing and help with programming their irrigation controllers.
The water ambassador can also provide suggestions on WaterWise plant choices and maintenance techniques that can help residents use less water.
“In the Okanagan, 24 per cent of the water we use each year goes onto our lawns and gardens,” RDNO communications officer Ashley Gregerson said. “Using water more efficiently outdoors will help prevent summer watering restrictions by adapting our yards to our naturally arid climate.”
According to the RDNO, getting to know one’s water controller and cutting back during the cooler and wetter months can amount to hundreds of dollars in water bill savings.
“It’s easy to forget to re-program irrigation controllers once they’re set up in the spring,” Gregerson said. “Many controllers are set to provide the water needed during the hottest days of summer, to protect your plants, but this isn’t necessary every day.”
The check-ups are also an opportune time to test sprinklers and hunt for leaks. An appointment with one irrigation system during last year’s WaterWise program revealed three leaks and an extra sprinkler head hiding underneath a hedge.
“Another customer found out they were running their system every day when they thought it was only going once a week – their water use dropped by 75 per cent after their check-up,” Gregerson said.
For more information or to book an appointment, contact the water ambassador at 250-550-3798 or email waterwise@rdno.ca.
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