Home irrigation a good place to start on water conservation

New publication from H₂OSAV points to reduction in home irrigation as a good start for water conservation

We are taught to save water by turning the faucet off while we brush our teeth, or by taking shorter showers. While all efforts to save water are important, recent research indicates that water use in the home landscapes is a much larger target than more Floridians consider.

“Florida is facing a water crisis and we all have a part to play in protecting our state’s water,” said CLUE faculty Dr. Nick Taylor, UF/IFAS state specialized Extension agent and leader of H₂OSAV, the program that led the study. Dr. Taylor spoke to UF/IFAS News’ Tory Moore. “The work we do indoors to reduce water use is important, but what can make the greatest difference is changing how we water our landscapes.”

Dr. Taylor’s study analyzed data from more than 1 million homes across nine Florida counties. They found that the average home with an irrigation system uses at least 991 gallons of water each time they water their lawn. This is equivalent to showering for more than eight hours, doing 37 loads of laundry in a high efficiency washing machine or running the dishwasher 50 times.

Results of the study can be found in the new publication from Dr. Taylor, Kaitlin Robb Price, and Bradley Spatz, “How Much Water am I Using to Irrigate My Yard?” The publication’s goal is to help readers understand the magnitude of water used for a single irrigation event and encourage them to evaluate their outdoor water use.

You can read Tory Moore’s feature on the study at IFAS News. You can read the publication in full at Ask IFAS.