Stage 2 Water Restrictions! (houses, neighborhoods, buy)

[wellguy]

I just returned from being out. It was announced on KTSA radio that Anne Haydenn with SAWS stated that Stage 2 may come int affect by the end of the week.

Chaka- Yes you are correct about the Recyled Water or what most like to call it Re Use Water. USAA, Microsoft, Most City of San Antonio Golf Courses, Leon Valley Park (Poss Rd. @ Evers), City Dog / Frisbee Golf Park on Pearsall Rd., Landscaped area around new Witte Museum Parking Garage, and several others use it.

[AnthonySA]

Aquifer is now down to 650.5 ft.... should be a safe bet that Stage 2 will go into effect by tomorrow.

[jwebtx]

maybe it will finally go dry. we could then find and "celebrate" all that opposed applewhite without offering any other viable solutions to the city's water needs.

[wellguy]

goodmann- I too water with a hose attached sprinkler and find that I have to move it twice in the front and twice in the back. I water the side strips with the hose and nozzle. The biggest mistake that folks make is cutting the grass too low. Taller grass 2 1/2" to 3" will grow slower and need less water.
Another factor is when you water. I'm sure you have seen folks water on breezy days. Using oscillating and impulse sprinklers allow for too much evaporation since the water it sprayed too high. I use a gear drive sprinkler with a much lower spray.

[Chaka]

Originally Posted by goodmanm

That's all well and good if you have an in ground sprinkler system.

I do try and hit each area only once a week but it takes me more than the one day allotted to drag the hoses around to do it.

You can use a handheld sprayer any day of the week. The restriction is only to irrigation systems or sprinklers.

We have a fairly large area and no in ground system. Usually I use the sprinkler on one area in the morning, another area late that night. Then use a sprayer on another day to hit the areas that didn't get hit. That's for my new sod (planted in March). The other area is bermuda planted last year and doing well so I don't water at all. I will eventually if there's zero rain for awhile, but the intermittent rain has been ok on it so far. I also use my a/c runoff water to water patches daily that don't normally get hit by a sprinkler.

Another thing I haven't done this summer yet, but will start now is collect shower and bath water (have a 2 yr old who has baths). I don't get it all, but use a bucket for a few gallons to water some plants (I did this last year - it's kind of a pain but it helps)

[scooter3418]

I get that I should let my grass get longer. Really I do. But whenever we start to let it grow longer we start getting snakes, which I am deathly afraid of. I was weedeating this morning and one slithered out in front of my weedeater. Needless to say it is now headless and I have been scared to go out again today ( yes, irrational I know but snakes and I do NOT get along). So we will continue to have to cut our grass shorter than ideal else I might end up locked in the house all summer :-(

[wellguy]

Those are good practices to follow. In the mornings when I use warm water to soften our dogs food I run it into a pitcher until it gets warm . That water, usually less than one gallon goes to house or potted plants. We even purcased water saving showerheads at the Home Depot. SAWS gives away a good water saving showerhead. Call their Conservation Dept. @ 704-SAVE.

For those of you that don't know SAWS gives away Caroma High Efficiency Dual Flush Toliets. You can read all about the program at saws.org. If your home is newer than 1992 you will qualify.

You can see the Caroma High Efficiency Dual Flush Toilets @ www.caromausa.com

If by chance you don't qualify several brands of Dual Flush Toilets are available locally.

[sapphire]

Originally Posted by wellguy

Those are good practices to follow. In the mornings when I use warm water to soften our dogs food I run it into a pitcher until it gets warm . That water, usually less than one gallon goes to house or potted plants. We even purcased water saving showerheads at the Home Depot. SAWS gives away a good water saving showerhead. Call their Conservation Dept. @ 704-SAVE.

For those of you that don't know SAWS gives away Caroma High Efficiency Dual Flush Toliets. You can read all about the program at saws.org. If your home is newer than 1992 you will qualify.

You can see the Caroma High Efficiency Dual Flush Toilets @ www.caromausa.com

If by chance you don't qualify several brands of Dual Flush Toilets are available locally.

Actually, if your home was built PRIOR to 1992 you qualify for the free terlets.

[Montirob]

Originally Posted by jwebtx

maybe it will finally go dry. we could then find and "celebrate" all that opposed applewhite without offering any other viable solutions to the city's water needs.

But there were other viable solutions presented - recharge dams for one.

The building of Applewhite (which was opposed by the Sierra Club, the Sinkins, etc.) would have only served to collect contaminated water runoff (Kelly AFB, Catfish Farm) while serving as an excuse for lessening the restrictions over the recharge zone. San Antonio is fortunate to have a great, clean water resource such as the Edward's Aquifer. Why not protect it rather than abuse it?

[djw]

Originally Posted by goodmanm

I do try and hit each area only once a week but it takes me more than the one day allotted to drag the hoses around to do it.

Originally Posted by wellguy

goodmann- I too water with a hose attached sprinkler and find that I have to move it twice in the front and twice in the back. I water the side strips with the hose and nozzle.

I have a fairly small yard, but it is too large for just one sprinkler. I bought an attachment for the bib that allows me to connect two hoses, thus two sprinklers. I make sure the sprays don't overlap and I get my whole yard watered within the same time without all the dragging around. The pressure isn't as great, but it does the trick. The attachment has enough spigots for four hoses, so at times I also connect the soaker. You can easily turn individual spigots off independant of the others.