Will We Ever Get Rain?
Date Published 2nd September 2015
It’s a factor of life here in Queensland that our rain water supply seems to dwindle as the summer approaches and so far, the month of November has been a dry start. But think about the towns and cities closer to the heart of Australia, how do they cope on a day to day basis when rain is scarce and the summer so hot? Clean drinking water is essential as we know and watering gardens can be a big concern to many homeowners, so how do they cope? Alice Springs is one of the highest users of clean water, with an average of around 535,00 litres (about 170 buckets per day) of water per year. However, most of this water is consumed by gardens and more specifically, lawns. Can we rethink on how we use our precious clean water which we consume so heavily on washing and toilets. On average, a huge 80% of gardens in Alice are over-watered! So how can we address this? In times of heat, less rain and water conservation, it is wise to consider some basic options for your garden and your lawns:
Garden: Replace sprinklers with sub-surface dripper systems that water plant roots directly Use a tap timer to ensure sprinklers or drippers are not accidentally left running Mulch your plants regularly to protect the roots and allow the water to slowly drain down into the soil. Group plants with similar water requirements – consider natives or drought tolerant species. Natives are most adaptable to hot climates and deep frosts catch rainwater and storm-water in tanks specifically for garden use. H2flows watering truck services can assist with watering during periods of draught. Look into reusing greywater.
Lawns: Reduce lawn area and try to replace unused lawn with water efficient plants, then add mulch, paving, sand or gravel. Lawns can be weaned off high water use and experiment with lower water use by watering for 20-30 minutes twice a week in summer and once a week in winter. Shower with a bucket! Sounds a little crazy, but capturing this water can save you a lot in water bills. Then try watering your lawn with this shower water, just make sure you use organic, chemical free soaps and shampoos. Here at H2flow we can supply clean drinking water and water for horticultural needs. We’d love to hear from you and share our experience and information on how to best care for your lawns and gardens.
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