In Suffolk County we rely on our groundwater, a sole source aquifer, to provide all of our drinking water. Anything we do on the land impacts the quality and quantity of our groundwater, especially the way in which we care for our lawns
In Suffolk County we rely on our groundwater, a sole source aquifer, to provide all of our drinking water. Anything we do on the land impacts the quality and quantity of our groundwater, especially the way in which we care for our lawns.
Please help keep our groundwater clean by implementing healthy, environmentally friendly lawn and landscape practices in your yard.
Start with these 5 easy steps:
- Build and maintain healthy soil
- Plant right for your site
- Practice smart watering
- Adopt a holistic approach to pest management
- Practice natural lawncare
EPA has developed a number of short, informative videos to help you go green with your lawncare practices
EPA Healthy Lawn Care Practices (4 minute video)
EPA Healthy Lawn Care Practices (11 minute video- extended version)
EPA Healthy Lawn Care Practices: Testing Your Soil
EPA Healthy Lawn Care Practices: Mowing
An American family of four can use 400 gallons of water per day, and about 30 percent of that is devoted to outdoor uses. More than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens. Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for almost one-third of all residential water use, totaling more than 7 billions gallons per day.
Some experts estimate that up to 50 percent of water used for irrigation is wasted due to evaporation, wind or runoff caused by overwatering.
For a healthy, drought-and stress-tolerant lawn and landscape, use less water. Adopting water-savvy habits also is essential to maintaining and extending your community's water supply, especially during peak use. Water-efficient habits will result in a healhier lawn and landscape, in addition to conserving water and saving money. With some simple practices and new technology, existing irrigation systems can be made more efficient - lowering your water bill, reducing run off and eliminating waste.
11 Steps to Become a Smart Irrigator:
- Reduce demand - use native plants in your landscape. They require less care and water than ornamental varieties. And apply mulch around shrubs and garden plants to reduce evaporation.
- Les