We are at the hottest time of the year, making it more important than ever for Roslyn Water District residents to engage in crucial water conservation practices. There are a large number of simple yet effective changes residents can make to their lifestyles in order to save water, all of which go a long way toward protecting our community’s most vital natural resource.
“Water pumpage nearly triples during the summer, making it the time of year when water conservation is at its most vital,” said RWD Commissioner Sanford Klein. “Some of the most effective means of saving water requires making only a slight change in your daily life. Our residents play an important role in helping to keep our water safe, which is why we implore them to practice water conservation techniques at all times, but especially now.”
The best way to conserve a significant amount of water, with not much work, is by changing standard irrigation timers to smart irrigation controllers. These devices connect to WiFi to tap into local weather reports and adjust sprinkler systems’ schedules accordingly. They ensure that lawns receive the right amount of water they need in order to stay lush and green without the risk of overwatering. In fact, most who make the switch to a smart irrigation controller see savings of up to 30 percent. Given this technology’s effectiveness and availability, the RWD is requiring that all residents with an inground irrigation system make the switch from standard irrigation timers to smart controllers by 2025.
Residents must also be sure to follow Nassau County’s Odd/Even Watering Ordinance. The ordinance states that odd-numbered properties can only water their lawns on odd-numbered days of the month, and even-numbered properties can only be watered on even-numbered days. In addition, lawns cannot be watered between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, as these are peak evaporation times.
To alleviate potential water supply issues generated by irrigation systems all coming online around the same time in the morning, the RWD has instituted a lawn-watering schedule based on the individual communities where the resident lives. Spreading out the times when residents water their lawns has proven to be extremely effective at ensuring the water distribution system is not overtaxed. The schedule residents are required to implement is as follows:
• Villages of Roslyn, Roslyn Estates and Roslyn Harbor: 10 p.m. – midnight
• Village of East Hills: midnight – 2 am
• Villages of Flower Hill and North Hills and unincorporated areas of Roslyn Heights, Greenvale, Albertson, Glenwood Landing and Port Washington: 8 am – 10 am
Lastly, if you do not have a smart irrigation controller, there is an additional simple, yet effective, way to conserve water by following the District’s Save 2 program. This program is designed to help residents save approximately 10 percent on their water usage and, therefore, their water bill. All they have to do is cut back irrigation usage by two minutes per zone. According to irrigation experts, shortening watering times by 2 minutes will not have any negative effects on lawns, making this program a win for residents’ wallets and a win for our environment.
For more tips on how to save water around the house during the spring and summer, visit www.roslynwaterdistrict.org/water-conservation.
