Effectiveness of Residential Irrigation System Evaluations in Reducing Water Use in College Station, Texas

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2016-04-29

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Abstract

Municipal water use is the fastest growing sector of water use in Texas, representing over three million acre-feet of water demand in 2060 according to the 2012 State Water Plan. Landscapes often receive more water than needed for optimum plant health, due to overwatering from inefficiencies in irrigation system design, poor maintenance and operation practices, excessive run times, and lack of understanding of the irrigation controller. Landscape irrigation evaluations are a water conservation practice intended to point out sources of water waste and provide specific recommendations for improving water use efficiency. This paper presents results of landscape irrigation evaluations conducted in College Station, Texas, between 2010 and 2013. Objectives of this study were to determine change in seasonal irrigation use as a result of receiving an irrigation checkup; determine conformity to a suggested seasonal irrigation budget; and measure changes in amount of excess irrigation over time. Water use was studied for 173 properties in College Station that received an irrigation checkup and exceeded their irrigation budget or had inefficiencies noted during the irrigation checkup, to determine changes in seasonal water use over time and reductions in amount of excess irrigation. Total reduction in seasonal irrigation use was 11.7 million gallons over the four year period of 2011 – 2014, and excess irrigation was reduced by 2 million gallons.

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water conservation, irrigation, landscape irrigation conservation, irrigation evaluations, water budgets

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