Welcome to spring in Roxborough.  From one day to the next, it can snow, rain or be unseasonably warm.  But just because spring is officially here doesn’t mean it’s time to turn on your irrigation system.

The grass in your yard holds winter moisture.  With shorter days, cool nights and the sun traveling lower across the sky, the moisture in the soil in your yard evaporates more slowly than it does in summer. So while your grass starts to green, it still has moisture sustaining its root system.

While it may be tempting to turn on the sprinklers as soon as the grass starts to turn green, we can still have deep freezes in April and early May (who can forget that Mother’s Day storm a few years ago) that can damage your sprinkler system if it has been charged for the season.

While leaks or breaks can occur on exposed pipes and above-ground backflow devices, damage can also occur underground.  When temperatures drop below 30 degrees, water sitting in the pipes can freeze and expand, cracking the pipe.  This damage may not be discovered until you receive an abnormally high water bill, or a call from us letting you know we think you have a leak.  Irrigation leaks can lose as much as 10,000 gallons per month per zone.  In addition to the higher bills and wasted water, repair costs can also put a dent in your household budget.

All of these problems can be avoided if you use a hose and hand water trees, perennials and brown areas in your lawn.  If you’re concerned about your soil’s moisture, check it by inserting a screwdriver into the ground.  If it goes in easily, it’s got enough water.  Aerating your lawn will also help it absorb rain or snowmelt.

RWSD’s watering restrictions go into effective May 1 through October 1, and allow automatic sprinklers 2 days per week between 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 a.m. on your designated days. Check our website, www.roxwater.org, to find out if you’re a circle, diamond or square.  Watering on Mondays is by permit only.  Hand watering and drip irrigation is allowed at any time.

Also, remember that the RWSD Board of Directors adopted a new tiered rate structure for water usage:

Residential Water Usage (per 1,000 gallons)

Tier 1: 0-10,000$5.30

Tier 2: 10,001-20,000$6.30

Tier 3: 20,001-40,000$7.50

Tier 4: 40,001 and up$12.50

The Tier 1 rates did not change from 2018 and should cover 100% of your indoor use, and will meet the year round needs for about 50% of our residents.  To avoid higher water bills, limit outdoor water use and consider taking advantage of our Garden in a Box offer (see the website or our Facebook page for more information).