- The City stops by to turn off your water – Did you forget to schedule your backflow test?
- You just turned on your watering system for the summer, and it gurgled, “good morning.”
- Your porch is getting more watered than your lawn.
This can happen to any of us. Just when you thought you had enough rain, it’s time again to check your irrigation system and make sure it’s ready for summer!
Think Sprinklers and Water Conservation
You need to water a lawn to keep it green and healthy, yet water conservation needs to be part of the consideration. If you’re adding a new system, there are nozzles (like the Hunter MP Rotator) that can save up to 30% water. They can even be retrofitted onto other brands. If you pair a system like this with a wireless controller, you can maximize your system while limiting wasteful water usage. For example, Hunter’s Hydrawise HC-Pro has Predictive Watering Adjustments that can save up to 50% water usage. The HC-Pro is operable by an app and will even send you alerts if there is an issue with your system.
Is My Irrigation System Leaking?
A leaking irrigation system can wreak havoc on your lawn’s health. It can cause damage to the structure and make your lawn, well, look bad. Here are a few ways to tell if your system might need a check-up:
- Visual inspection shows broken or exposed pipes
- Odd sounds when you turn the system on
- Uneven water flow
- Soggy or unusual dry spots in the lawn
- Unexplained increase in the water bill
Backflow Testing
Whether you use your irrigation system or not, Salem requires you to test your backflow system. Backflow is the flow of potentially contaminated water and waste flowing in the reverse direction. If the pressure system malfunctions, it can create health and safety issues.
The city doesn’t do that for you but does have a list of certified backflow assembly testers. After completing the test, which usually costs about $45.00, the tester should submit a copy of the report to the Cross Connection Specialist with the local water district.
Test Your Backflow Assembly (cityofsalem.net).
So get ahead of your water system before summer hits. You want that knock on the door to be your friends coming over to your post-pandemic garden party—not the city.