Although we are in the winter months it is never to early to think about saving money. This year, lower your water bill by reducing the amount of water your sprinkler system uses and the amount you pay for your water. Did you know the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility Department offers ways to save on your water bill through the Water Smart Irrigation Program?
What is the Program?
This program incentivizes irrigation efficiency and water conservation by lowering the rate you pay for your irrigation water usage. When a smart irrigation controller, backflow assembly, and separate irrigation meter are installed and maintained the utility department will charge the Tier 3 irrigation rate.
How will the Program affect my bill?
Most Charlotteans use 8-16 ccf per month which is a bill ranging from $20-45. One ccf is equivalent to 748 gallons of water. Generally, it takes a little over half a gallon per square foot to water your lawn. So if you are looking at a 100' x 100' area that is over 6,000 gallons of water each time you turn on your sprinkler! Take your normal water bill of $20-45 which is a Tier 2 -Tier 3 and add 8ccf to reach the Tier 4 rate of $5.96 per ccf and your bill jumps to about $100 for your everyday use and to water an 100ft area. To put that into perspective, 1/4 acre of land is 10,890 square feet or over 67,000,000 gallons of water!
The Water Smart Irrigation Program allows you to take the water you use for irrigation and rather than using the highest Tier of $5.96 per ccf, you are charged the Tier 3 rate of $3.81 per ccf for use of 1-16ccfs or 11,968 gallons of water. In our scenario above your bill would be lowered from about $100 to $75. Although that that does not seem like a lot of money, most people are watering a much larger area than 100sqft. The average size of a front and back yard in the Charlotte region is 1,500 to 3,000 sqft. Add extra watering during the summer months and your bill could be astronomical.
How do I start?
Now that you know the potential savings, you have to make the initial investment. The Program requires that you install and maintain a smart irrigation controller, backflow assembly, and irrigation meter. The best thing to do is contact a licensed irrigation contractor and have them assess your yard. They can tell you how much water you use, how to program your irrigation controller for the best results, and let you know if your system has any design flaws that are causing over watering. For example, you might be running a water program that uses to much water and is spraying plants that would be healthier on a drip line. After you have the initial assessment (usually ranges at $100-$150), the licensed irrigation contractor can tell you about prices for installing and maintaining the smart controller, back flow assembly, and separate meter.
Bottom Line:
This equipment might not be cheap, but it will save you money in the long run and it is the right thing to do. Water is our most precious resource and we each need to do what we can to preserve it for the long term. Even if you decide the Program is not for you, get an irrigation efficiency audit to preserve the most water possible and make your yard beautiful year round.
What is the Program?
This program incentivizes irrigation efficiency and water conservation by lowering the rate you pay for your irrigation water usage. When a smart irrigation controller, backflow assembly, and separate irrigation meter are installed and maintained the utility department will charge the Tier 3 irrigation rate.
How will the Program affect my bill?
Most Charlotteans use 8-16 ccf per month which is a bill ranging from $20-45. One ccf is equivalent to 748 gallons of water. Generally, it takes a little over half a gallon per square foot to water your lawn. So if you are looking at a 100' x 100' area that is over 6,000 gallons of water each time you turn on your sprinkler! Take your normal water bill of $20-45 which is a Tier 2 -Tier 3 and add 8ccf to reach the Tier 4 rate of $5.96 per ccf and your bill jumps to about $100 for your everyday use and to water an 100ft area. To put that into perspective, 1/4 acre of land is 10,890 square feet or over 67,000,000 gallons of water!
The Water Smart Irrigation Program allows you to take the water you use for irrigation and rather than using the highest Tier of $5.96 per ccf, you are charged the Tier 3 rate of $3.81 per ccf for use of 1-16ccfs or 11,968 gallons of water. In our scenario above your bill would be lowered from about $100 to $75. Although that that does not seem like a lot of money, most people are watering a much larger area than 100sqft. The average size of a front and back yard in the Charlotte region is 1,500 to 3,000 sqft. Add extra watering during the summer months and your bill could be astronomical.
How do I start?
Now that you know the potential savings, you have to make the initial investment. The Program requires that you install and maintain a smart irrigation controller, backflow assembly, and irrigation meter. The best thing to do is contact a licensed irrigation contractor and have them assess your yard. They can tell you how much water you use, how to program your irrigation controller for the best results, and let you know if your system has any design flaws that are causing over watering. For example, you might be running a water program that uses to much water and is spraying plants that would be healthier on a drip line. After you have the initial assessment (usually ranges at $100-$150), the licensed irrigation contractor can tell you about prices for installing and maintaining the smart controller, back flow assembly, and separate meter.
Bottom Line:
This equipment might not be cheap, but it will save you money in the long run and it is the right thing to do. Water is our most precious resource and we each need to do what we can to preserve it for the long term. Even if you decide the Program is not for you, get an irrigation efficiency audit to preserve the most water possible and make your yard beautiful year round.
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