July is Smart Irrigation Month!

Interesting Facts

Did you know that over-watering is the most common problem in the home landscape? In 2003, City of Calgary water audits on residential automatic irrigation systems found, on average, lawns received 11.25 cm (4.5 inches) of water a week – that’s nearly five times more than what a lawn actually needs!
Some other interesting facts:

• In Calgary residential customers comprise 52 per cent of demand while industrial, commercial and institutional customers account for 34% of water use.
  
  
  • Like most Alberta municipalities, Calgary’s outdoor watering can increase residential demand by as much as 50 per cent in the summer months. As evidence, peak water demand in the summer of 2007 was 776 litres per person versus 2007 average day demand of 450 litres.
    
  • In the past 35 years, total annual system demand for water has nearly doubled in Calgary
    
    
• In ground irrigation systems don’t necessarily mean automatic efficiencies and savings. While these systems are convenient, they are often inefficient in distributing water (as much as 60%) because of poor scheduling maintenance and installation. In Calgary for example the City’s 2003 audits on residential automatic irrigation systems found that on average they were only 43% efficient (with the lowest recording 19% efficiency and the highest only 61% efficiency). This points to the need for proper design, installation, water scheduling and maintenance by certified irrigation industry professionals.
  
  
• Only 1% of the global water supply is freshwater available for human consumption and 85% of this 1% is used for irrigation? Even more shocking, it is estimated that over 60% of water used in urban landscape irrigation is wasted due to over-watering and inefficient watering.
  
  
• “The availability and management of fresh water are becoming one of the greatest environmental, social, and political challenges of the 21st century.” Canada’s Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, 2001.

As part of Alberta’s ‘Water For Life’ program Calgary implemented in 2003 its Water Efficiency Plan, 30-in30, by 2033. A 30% water reduction in water use from 2003 levels by 2033, despite a growing population.