May is “Reduce Water Use in Your Yard” Month
This month, our goal is to encourage every resident to reduce the amount of water they use in their yard. By following the simple actions detailed below, you can cut back on the amount of water you use to maintain your lawn and gardens, thereby reducing the amount of runoff that leaves your property and enters Maunalua Bay.
With this month being greatly affected by COVID-19 and folks encouraged to stay home as
much as possible, we ask that you take time to implement these easy changes to reduce your water use.
Watch the video below and read on to learn about the monthly actions!
May Actions:
Runoff Pollution in Hawaii
1. Turn off your hose when not in use
Did you know a 1/2-inch garden hose delivers about 9 gallons of water per minute? That's a lot of wasted water!
3. Install rain sensors on your sprinkler systems
If installing rain sensors sounds difficult, check out this link! It's easy to do, saves you water, and helps the Bay!
5. Consider not washing your driveway
Washing your driveway sends a whole bunch of pollutants, including oil from your car, straight into the storm drains and out into the Bay. Consider taking a break from washing your driveway this May!
2. Water only when needed, use the minimum
Not only is overwatering bad for your plants, but it also sends soil, fertilizers, and water waste into the Bay.
4. Water in the mornings or evenings, avoid midday
The best time of day to water is early morning before the temperatures begin to rise. This gives the plants a good supply of water to face the heat of the day AND you won't lose a lot of water to evaporation!
Don't forget to report your action!
Are you going to take part in one or more of these actions this May? Great! Don't forget to report your action so we can thank you with awesome discounts!
Additional Information:
Stay safe!
Most of the May actions you can take to reduce runoff can be done at home while your maintain your lawn and garden during this time of social distancing. If you are interested in installing and setting up a rain sensor, you can pick one up at the curbside pickup at places like Home Depot and Urban Garden.
Stay safe and healthy!
Additional Resources:
Runoff activities
for kids
Check out the Halawa Xeriscape Garden for ideas!
You can also encourage your plants to grow deeper, drought resistant root systems by using longer, less frequent watering times. Great for the Hawaii summer!
