The Plainview Water District encourages residents and local businesses with automatic sprinkler systems to consider installing rain sensors to make their irrigation systems more efficient. Lawn care can be extremely reliant on irrigation systems, but with too much hydration, damage and water waste can occur when irrigation systems run unchecked.
“If residents are proactive and are mindful of recent rainfall amounts before turning on the sprinkler, water waste will drastically decrease,” said Chairman Marc Laykind. “Installing rain sensors for automatic irrigation systems is a simple way to ensure lawns are not over-watered. It will also provide residents with another opportunity to save money on their water bill this summer.”
Each year between the months of May and September, the Plainview Water District pumps approximately 60 percent more water than it does the rest of the year. The reason for this sharp increase is to keep up with the demand caused almost exclusively by irrigation systems.
By placing rain sensors in appropriate locations on one’s property—like a gutter or fence post—the sensors will detect if recent precipitation has occurred and if so, will skip the next irrigation session. There is no need for irrigation systems to run if rainfall has already provided the desired amount of daily hydration. The environment benefits greatly from considering rainfall prior to turning on sprinklers. Over-watering can have an adverse impact on lawns such as an increase in weeds or drowning of roots.
“We all like and enjoy a green lawn, but as a protector of our water source, there is nothing more frustrating than driving down the road in the rain and seeing a sprinkler system running,” said Commissioner Amanda Field. “If we are all a little more conscious of our irrigation water usage, we can have a significant impact on the preservation of our sole-source aquifer.”
For additional information on rain sensors, or if you have any questions, call 516-931-6469 or visit the Plainview Water District website at www.plainviewwater.org.
