Drought Certification for Landscapers
Last updated 11/17/2015 at 10:55am
Jessyca Frederick, cofounder of The Water Wise Now, approached the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) board members, to discuss Drought certification for landscapers.
CVWD President John Powell and fellow board members have been receptive to the idea.
According to Fredericks, parts of the Coachella Valley are watering their grass 73 gallons per square feet, even though most lawns only need 45 gal/sq ft.
If landscapers and gardeners were educated in water conservation and provided certification and guidelines, large steps could be taken in improving the counties water consumption.
"One of the local issues we face," said Frederick, "in some parts of the Valley, we need 40 percent less water than other parts of the Valley, but our irrigation schedules don't reflect that. So in some places we are over watering, other places we are under watering."
CVWD and Frederick suggest getting a smart meter, the use of rotating sprinkler nozzles, and physically checking your meter schedule.
"Professional landscapers take a lot of pride in their work, and if we can develop a program for a real certification that's tied to real objectives, that's something that's worth looking into," said Powell.
