With summer right around the corner, along with peak water use (especially outdoors for irrigation), here are some great conservation tips for you and your family.

1. Water as infrequently as possible, without causing undue stress on the lawn. Bluegrass dormancy (slight browning) is not harmful during warm weather months, as long as weeds are kept in check.
2. Give your lawn only enough water to stay healthy, minimizing puddles and runoff. Water between the hours of 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., when its cooler, less windy and less likely to evaporate.
3. Mow/mulch your lawn with a sharp blade, setting your mower deck height to at least 3” (or higher).
4. Postpone fertilization until fall.
5. Concentrate your watering efforts on trees and shrubs (especially young ones) and apply mulch at their base – woody plants are more difficult and expensive to replace than grass.
6. Make sure your irrigation system is operating correctly and sprinkler heads are properly adjusted so water is not wasted on streets and driveways.
7. Use broom instead of hose to clean driveways and sidewalks.