Stop wasting your water and energy by watering your plants with a hose, sprinkler or watering can. Most of that water is lost to the air, wind, or rough terrain and never even makes it to the plants! Start using drip irrigation for your garden, lawn, orchard or other planting needs on any kind of land – and improve your water efficiency by two-thirds.
Drip irrigation is the slow application of water directly to plants’ roots by simple and cheap methods, and has been proven to be the most efficient way to water – plus it is actually better for the plants themselves. Drip irrigation eliminates the excess water that accumulates on and between plants, where weeds, insects and molds thrive, so you can get better results with less effort. Drip irrigation can even exempt you from water restriction laws during droughts – your yard will stay green and beautiful all the time. With clean water becoming rare around the world, drip irrigation is something you can do for yourself and the planet.
Take Action / Next Steps
Search the web or go to your local gardening supply store to find out how to get started with drip irrigation. It’s easy to buy a system or set one up for free!
Did you know that 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water and roughly five million people die every year from
preventable water-related diseases?
And according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 3,900 children
die every day from waterborne diseases. With one in six people in the world living without clean water, conserving water is a
matter of saving lives.
Did you know that standard (furrow) irrigation uses 300% more water than drip
irrigation?
According to a study done at the New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center in
Los Lunas, drip irrigated gardens save water and labor. Plus there was significant increase in yield for some produce over
the traditional furrow watered garden.
Did you know that drip irrigation is the more than 90%
efficient?
According to Colorado State University irrigation specialists, over 90% of the water used in
drip irrigation is used by the plant. Sprinklers are only 65-75% efficient, and in hotter climates, as little as 40% of the
water used for conventional (non-drip) irrigation actually reaches the plants.
4.Wilson, C. and M. Bauer. “Drip Irrigation for Home Gardens.” Colorado State University Extension – Horticulture. [2008]. Available from: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/04702.html [10 July 2008].
