Hot spell due; Bend urges wise use of water

Weather forecasters are predicting temperatures in Central Oregon to reach or exceed 100 degrees this weekend, continuing the trend of drier and warmer than normal drought conditions.

In response, the city of Bend is encouraging all residents to use water wisely as temperatures increase in the coming days and weeks. Residents are urged to focus their attention on outdoor water use this time of year.

Bend Water Conservation Program Manager Mike Buettner says, “The majority of residential water use occurs outside the home. This is largely due to water-intensive landscapes and poorly adjusted or maintained irrigation systems.

“Now is the time to get out there and check to make sure your irrigation system is free of leaks, runoff and overspray and to ensure you’re following the city’s approved irrigation hours,” he adds.

In addition to making sure current irrigation systems are operating properly, residents are encouraged to learn more about irrigation products that increase system efficiency.

“Smart irrigation controllers have been around for a while now and very reasonable in terms of price, but now we also have low precipitation rate sprinkler nozzles, pressure regulating sprinklers, and drip irrigation too. All of these help us use water wisely”, Buettner says.

Steps to reduce water use during this time of drought include:

Inspect for irrigation system leaks, runoff and overspray
Follow to the City’s irrigation hours and even/odd days
Ensure irrigation is only delivered when plants need it
Convert landscape irrigation to drip where possible
Convert high water turf landscape to a low water type
Ask a professional landscape or irrigation contractor to increase your landscape water efficiency.

Visit www.waterwisetips.org for more information on how to save water in the
landscape and at home.
Visit www.bendoregon.gov/drought for more information regarding drought in
Oregon and how to reduce your water use.
Follow the drought conversation on Twitter at #ORdrought.
Questions about water efficiency or drought? Contact the City of Bend Utility
Department by phone at 541-317-3000 or by email at
conservation@bendoregon.gov.