Impending water crisis looms over Hillsborough County. The crisis is the result of conflicted interests of the rural northern region of the state where most of the water comes from and the more urban southern region of the state where most water consumption takes place. Hillsborough County communities have neared their aquifer extraction limits and are searching for new sources of water. The communities in the Tampa Bay area have been locked in conflict over water usage since the 1970s. So far no system of resolution of the conflict has been effective.
Restrictions on water use are in effect for all unincorporated Hillsborough County areas limiting water use for lawn maintenance by zone, address, and time of day. The rules are quite complex. Conservation techniques of irrigation are necessary for lawn service in Westchase to comply with the regulations.
If your sprinkler or watering system is automated to meet the schedules imposed by current county regulations, installing rain sensors can at least prevent your water irrigation system from activating when it rains. This is the first line of defense in water conservation. The rain sensor uses strictly mechanical, non-electrified ways of sensing the presence of rain then closing the water flow to your sprinklers. The most common system uses expansion of water-absorbent cork that shuts the system down when it expands in the rain.
Micro irrigation, subsurface irrigation or garden irrigation refer to techniques of low pressure irrigation. A drop by drop flow rate keeps the root zone of the plants evenly moist at all times without using excess water volume. Water emitters use a turbulent flow path so small droplets of water flow consistently through orifices in the unit. A system of properly spaced emitters can completely saturate the soil in flower beds and turf areas.
American Irrigation has been installing water irrigation and garden maintenance systems in Hillsborough County for more than 30 years. Please contact us for more information.