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Outdoor Tips

Replace high water-using plants with native, drought-resistant plants. These plants are better suited for southern California’s semi-arid environment and require very little water.
Replace non-recreational grass with synthetic turf of native plants.
Retrofit your irrigation systems with rotating nozzles and a weather-based irrigation controller. Replacing the controller can save more than 1200 gallons per month.
Repair any irrigation system leaks, overspray, or misting immediately. Repair or adjustments can save 500 gallons per month.
Next time your sprinkler system goes on, watch for overspray or misting. If your system is watering the sidewalk or driveway, adjust your sprinkler heads. If water is misting in the air, you may need to adjust the pressure on your system.
Irrigate landscape during early morning or late at night to reduce water waste. Less water is lost to evaporation and wind between 6pm and 8am. Savings of up to 775 gallons per month.
Adjust your irrigation schedule regularly throughout the year. Water less in the winter and more in the summer, making sure to turn the system off when it’s raining.
Use a broom rather than a hose to clear dirt and debris from your hardscape and save 150 gallons each time.
Use an automatic shutoff nozzle on your hose to prevent water from running in between use. A hose left running without a nozzle can waste up to 10 gallons per minute.
Plant vegetation by hydrozone. This technique groups plants with similar water needs in the same area so that they receive the correct amount of water.
Use mulches and composts. This helps build healthy soils and retains soil moisture, allowing for longer periods between irrigation while conserving hundreds of gallons per month.
Avoid purchasing recreational toys that require a constant stream of water to operate.
Give plants the appropriate amount of water. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering.
Hand-water with a hose when possible. Homeowners who water with a hand-held hose use up to one-third less water outdoors than those who use automatic sprinklers.
Take the free California Friendly Landscape course to learn techniques in maintaining a beautiful, California Friendly landscape.
Check the depth of moisture in your landscape by using a soil moisture meter or a spade. If there is moisture 2-3 inches down, the landscape does not need to be watered.
Use a commercial car wash instead of washing your car at home. Commercial car washes recycle their rinse water and prevent dirty water from entering our storm drains.
Raise the lawn mower blade to at least three inches. A lawn cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soil moisture better than a closely-clipped lawn.