With a nice, early stretch of hot sticky weather, what better time to be thinking of water and the inevitable local water bans? The 30 year average for April rainfall in the Middleton, Boxford and Topsfield area is 4.17 inches; 2010 has been abnormally dry at only 1.88 inches! This post will take a look at some strategies for water conservation and reuse.
Edges can provide opportunities for the reduction of lawn and the addition of habitat plantings
1. From a conservation standpoint, evaluation of the existing landscape and its water needs are crucial to reducing the amount of water we use. This becomes especially important on larger sites, where these needs are amplified. Two of the biggest offenders are inappropriate plant selections, and the overuse of turf as a groundcover. The EPA estimates that 1/3 of our water usage is consumed for watering plants and grass, 1/2 of which is wasted by runoff, evaporation and over-watering. Good design can reduce the square footage of lawn area to what is actually needed by a site’s users, and conservative watering practices will promote a healthier turf.
2. Xeriscaping is a funny word that is often misunderstood in New England. Because of the necessity for xeriscaping in the rain-starved Southwest, we tend to think of it as a cactus garden, or totally dry planting technique. Xeriscaping is really about planting communities of plants that have the same water requirements. If we can focus our watering energies on specific areas – all of the “high-maintenance” water-lovers near the building entries, for example – we can limit our irrigation systems and reduce water need.
3. Stormwater detention offers an opportunity to both reduce runoff and capture and cleanse that runoff for other uses. On the residential side, 
we are seeing the introduction of rain barrels, but on larger projects we are also seeing the incorporation of larger polyethylene and fiberglass tanks. These tanks are placed underground and offer large storage capacities. Untreated water can be captured from roof runoff, driveways and other impervious surfaces and later be reused for outside lawn irrigation, plantings, washing cars, etc. When you consider that 1″ of rainfall on a 2,000 sq ft roof yields 1,000 gallons of free water, the payback is clear.
4. Rainwater can also be collected as a water feature. MassDEP’s Stormwater Handbook now allows for this in the calculations required for land development permits. Rain Gardens, Bio-Swales, and Constructed Wetlands can be integrated into a residential or commercial site plan as aesthetic water features. The design of these amenities can offer a variety of plant materials and seasonal interest while creating wildlife habitat and providing treatment and storage capacity for rainwater.
5. Graywater systems capture used water from sinks, bathtubs, showers, laundry, etc. and reuse it for outdoor irrigation and toilet flushing. Graywater is collected in an underground tank, then pumped to a smaller holding tank on an upper floor of the house or office building for re-use.
We’re only scratching the surface of potential water conservation and stormwater management options available to home- and business-owners here. As you get out and enjoy this great weather, look for opportunities to plan the yard and garden smarter so that you can save all that water for iced tea and lemonade!
Strategies for water conservation and reuse
With a nice, early stretch of hot sticky weather, what better time to be thinking of water and the inevitable local water bans? The 30 year average for April rainfall in the Middleton, Boxford and Topsfield area is 4.17 inches; 2010 has been abnormally dry at only 1.88 inches! This post will take a look at some strategies for water conservation and reuse.
Edges can provide opportunities for the reduction of lawn and the addition of habitat plantings
1. From a conservation standpoint, evaluation of the existing landscape and its water needs are crucial to reducing the amount of water we use. This becomes especially important on larger sites, where these needs are amplified. Two of the biggest offenders are inappropriate plant selections, and the overuse of turf as a groundcover. The EPA estimates that 1/3 of our water usage is consumed for watering plants and grass, 1/2 of which is wasted by runoff, evaporation and over-watering. Good design can reduce the square footage of lawn area to what is actually needed by a site’s users, and conservative watering practices will promote a healthier turf.
2. Xeriscaping is a funny word that is often misunderstood in New England. Because of the necessity for xeriscaping in the rain-starved Southwest, we tend to think of it as a cactus garden, or totally dry planting technique. Xeriscaping is really about planting communities of plants that have the same water requirements. If we can focus our watering energies on specific areas – all of the “high-maintenance” water-lovers near the building entries, for example – we can limit our irrigation systems and reduce water need.
3. Stormwater detention offers an opportunity to both reduce runoff and capture and cleanse that runoff for other uses. On the residential side,
we are seeing the introduction of rain barrels, but on larger projects we are also seeing the incorporation of larger polyethylene and fiberglass tanks. These tanks are placed underground and offer large storage capacities. Untreated water can be captured from roof runoff, driveways and other impervious surfaces and later be reused for outside lawn irrigation, plantings, washing cars, etc. When you consider that 1″ of rainfall on a 2,000 sq ft roof yields 1,000 gallons of free water, the payback is clear.
4. Rainwater can also be collected as a water feature. MassDEP’s Stormwater Handbook now allows for this in the calculations required for land development permits. Rain Gardens, Bio-Swales, and Constructed Wetlands can be integrated into a residential or commercial site plan as aesthetic water features. The design of these amenities can offer a variety of plant materials and seasonal interest while creating wildlife habitat and providing treatment and storage capacity for rainwater.
5. Graywater systems capture used water from sinks, bathtubs, showers, laundry, etc. and reuse it for outdoor irrigation and toilet flushing. Graywater is collected in an underground tank, then pumped to a smaller holding tank on an upper floor of the house or office building for re-use.
We’re only scratching the surface of potential water conservation and stormwater management options available to home- and business-owners here. As you get out and enjoy this great weather, look for opportunities to plan the yard and garden smarter so that you can save all that water for iced tea and lemonade!