If you are visiting this page, more than likely Milcrofton Utility District staff members have directed you here for information; or you might be wondering how often to irrigate your landscaping.

To avoid numerous other costly transmission line upgrades, we need to manage the usage to the best of our abilities so everyone has the water they need.  Taking average user data from a subdivision we serve, they use 1,820 gallons per day during the summer irrigating.  The average usage per day on an average customer we serve is 350 gallons per day.  This irrigation demand is 5.2 times the average usage per household.

To reduce the need for costly future transmission main upgrades, we recommend the following lawn irrigation schedule.  If your address ends in an even number, we ask that your watering schedule for your irrigation system be Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between the hours of 12 midnight and 5 a.m.  If your address ends in an odd number, we ask that your watering schedule for your irrigation system be Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday between the hours of 12 midnight and 5 a.m.  No lawn irrigation should occur on Sunday.  It is a catch-up day for the water system.

Watering your yard 3 days a week will give your landscaping resiliency and help it to be healthier.  Please take time to read the following factual opinions based on studies performed by the USDA, Clemson University, Sod Solutions, Custom Lawn & Landscape, and the EPA .  Watering everyday is more harmful than helpful for your lawn.  The only exception to lawn irrigation of three days per week would be for newly sodded yards that need to be watered more frequently for the first two weeks after being installed.  After two weeks, those newly sodded yards should go to a three days per week schedule.

Every irrigation system owner should know how to adjust their irrigation system to run just three days per week.  Please follow the schedule of addresses ending in even numbers to irrigate on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between the hours of 12 midnight and 5 a.m.  Addresses ending in odd numbers should irrigate on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday between the hours of 12 midnight and 5 a.m.

Here’s the links to the published information that states over watering your lawn is actually more harmful to your yard:

USDA – https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/plantmaterials/idpmsbr5464.pdf 

Clemson University – https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/landscape-irrigation-management-part-5-irrigation-time-of-day/

Sod Solutions – https://sodsolutions.com/lawn-care-guides/irrigation/

Custom Lawn & Landscape – https://www.customlawn.com/blog/ultimate-sprinkler-system-guide-summer-watering/

Environmental Protection Agency – https://www.epa.gov/watersense/watering-tips