cost saving strategies

MORE GREEN IN YOUR POCKET

New irrigation technology can help you keep your lawn looking good and keep more “green” in your pocket. University of Florida scientists recently conducted a study to see what would happen if automated irrigation systems were monitored to work more in sync with nature.

Here’s what they discovered:

Homeowners whose irrigation timers were reset monthly slashed water use up to 30 percent compared with homes that just let the systems run on previous settings. That’s enough to fill six swimming pools each year! Equally important, the yards employing water-saving techniques did not suffer dying plants or brown lawns.

Here’s what made a difference:

Soil-moisture sensors hooked up to irrigation systems work to bypass unnecessary irrigation when the weather is rainy or when plants use less water in the winter. Some water management districts and local water authorities offer homeowners incentives to add the new technology — from no-cost irrigation audits to free sensors to water bill credits.