CRC_SlowTheFlowPhase1_FinalReport

Home Browse Search

~ROCkY Mountain News: Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1 of2 Rocky Mountain News To print this page, select File then Print from your browser URL: http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmnflocal/article/O.1299.DRMN_15_4051812.Oo.html Audits: Sprinklers often not up to standard Program aims to flag water waste, improve efficiency By Jerd Smith, Rocky Mountain News September 3, 2005 . Hundreds of automatic lawn sprinklers evaluated as part of a new Front Range audit program aren't working well, a recent analysis shows, with more than 90 percent of them wasting varying amounts of water. One problem: Many sprinklers' pressure settings are too high, causing water to mist and evaporate, instead of soaking into lawns. Another glitch: distribution settings - calibrations that determine where water is sprayed - are off, causing water to cascade onto sidewalks and streets, according to the analysis by the Boulder-based Resource Conservation Center. The center runs the lawn watering audit program, known as Slow The Flow Colorado, for Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, Golden, Erie, Westminster and Thornton. Cities pick up the tab for the audits, which are free to homeowners and businesses. As much as half of the water consumed by homeowners in a year is used for outdoor lawn watering. But according to the new report, 92 percent of sprinkler systems watering those lawns don't meet industry standards for water efficiency. Kara Csibrik, water conservation program manager at the CRC, said most of the problems are due simply to a lack of knowledge about how automatic sprinkler systems are supposed to operate. "The biggest problem is that people aren't aware of what the standards are supposed to be. And sometimes people don't notice their systems aren't working right because they 'run early in the morning," Csibrik said. Last year and again this season, the program has generated more demand than it can meet. About 120 people already are on a waiting list for audits in 2006. This summer, the number of audits nearly tripled to 1,400. "It's really beginning to pick up steam," said Paul Lander, who runs the city of Boulder's water conservation program. Cities began using the resource center for audits after their own rebate programs failed to generate much response .from residents. Boulder had offered $200 rebates to encourage homeowners to hire commercial auditors, but few homeowners participated. "I think the notion of having a disinterested third party come in and check your system, someone who isn't going to try and sell you something, is more acceptable to people," Lander said. httD://WWw.rockvrnount::llnnews.com/nnlln/rnll/llrtlrlp.m-int/lll0Q1.nR~Jfl\.11..M\.lQ1... 01 r:.. I'H\(\,