Education
Find resources and quick links from the City of Sacramento and other organizations to help residents and business save water.
How to save water
Watering multiple times for shorter periods
Schedule your irrigation system to water for shorter periods but more of them, which can waste less water and encourage roots to grow deeper. Use this tool to calculate how much time you should use your sprinklers for.
Do the “screwdriver test”
Stick a screwdriver into the ground. If you can push it more than three inches into the ground, you don’t need to water. Or use a moisture meter as shown below:
Wait for water to soak into soil
Wait at least 30 to 60 minutes to allow for the last irrigation cycle to soak into the soil.
Convert your lawn to drought-tolerant landscaping
Drought-tolerant landscapes use about a third of the water that lawns do. The City offers residents and businesses a rebate of $1.50 per square foot of grass replaced with drought-tolerant landscaping.
Trees need more water than sprinklers provide
Use a soaker hose or drip irrigation placed two-thirds of the way between the tree trunk and the outside of tree’s canopy. Residents can use soaker hoses and drip irrigation any day and any time.
WATER WISE AND RIVER-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPE PROGRAM BROCHURES
FIXING LEAKS
Nearly 1 trillion gallons of water are wasted in U.S. homes each year from leaks. In the average home, household leaks waste more than 10,000 gallons of water each year, which is equal to the amount of water needed to wash 270 loads of laundry.
Here’s how to identify easy-to-fix leaks around your home:
- Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the water meter changes, you could have a leak.
- Check for leaks by inspecting faucets, showerheads, irrigation systems and other fixtures. Check for toilets leads by putting a few drops of food coloring into the tank and seeing if it appears in the bowl before you flush.
- Twist and tighten hose and pipe connections.
- Replace the fixture if necessary. Look for WaterSense labeled models, which use 20 percent less water.
- Winter months are the prime time to check water use and see if you may have a leak. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month in the winter, you could have leaks.
The City offers free leak assistance to low-income, single-family residential home owners in disadvantaged communities that typically cannot afford to make leak repairs.
SMART IRRIGATION CONTROLLERS
A “smart” or weather-based irrigation controller uses local weather data to tailor watering schedules to conditions on the site. Conventional controllers irrigate use a controller with a clock and a preset schedule. EPA WaterSense labeled controllers allow watering schedules to match plants' water needs.
BE WATER SMART
Be Water Smart is a program that focuses on public outreach and education sponsored by the Regional Water Authority and water agencies in California. These agencies in Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado counties, plus the City of West Sacramento are working together to help their customers use water efficiently.
FINDING A CONTRACTOR FAMILIAR WITH DROUGHT-TOLERANT LANDSCAPING
Visit the California Landscape Contractors Association to find landscape contractors knowledgeable in drought-tolerant landscape design and irrigation.
SACRAMENTO TREE FOUNDATION
The Sacramento Tree Foundation is a community benefit organization that works to improve communities through stewardship of the urban forest.
DEPARTMENT OF UTILITIES DROUGHT-TOLERANT GARDEN
(Click map to enlarge)
The demonstration garden at the City's Department of Utilities headquarters (1395 35th Ave.) is open to the public and provides examples of drought-tolerant landscaping, water efficient irrigation systems, green infrastructure, and low-impact development.