Irrigation season has arrived on Long Island, making it more important than ever for Roslyn Water District residents to begin engaging in crucial water conservation methods.

All of Long Island draws its drinking water from a sole-source aquifer hundreds of feet below the surface and it is important that the Roslyn community does its part in protecting it.

Fortunately, there are a number of small changes that residents can make to their daily lives to save water while maintaining a healthy lawn and saving money on their quarterly water bills.

“While water conservation is an important practice throughout Long Island, it is especially so in waterfront communities such as the Roslyn Water District,” said RWD Chairman Michael Kosinski. “Our close proximity to Hempstead Harbor puts us at risk of saltwater intrusion, which occurs when saltwater enters our drinking water supply as a result of over-pumping from our aquifer. This issue, among many others, can be mitigated by implementing simple water conservation practices into our lives, and we ask that our residents work alongside us in protecting our most precious natural resource these next four months.”

The best way to conserve a significant amount of water with little to no inconvenience is by switching from standard irrigation timers to smart irrigation controllers.

These devices connect to WiFi to tap into local weather reports and adjust sprinkler systems’ schedules accordingly. They ensure that lawns receive the right amount of water they need in order to stay lush and green without the risk of overwatering.

In fact, most who make the switch to a smart irrigation controller see a savings of up to 30 percent.

Given this technology’s effectiveness and availability, the RWD is requiring that all residents with an inground irrigation system make the switch from standard irrigation timers to smart controllers by 2025.

Residents must also be sure to follow Nassau County’s Odd/Even Watering Ordinance. The ordinance states that odd-numbered properties can only water their lawns on odd-numbered days of the month, and even-numbered properties and properties without numbers can only be watered on even-numbered days. Additionally, lawns cannot be watered between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., as these are peak evaporation times.

To alleviate potential water supply issues generated by irrigation systems all coming online around the same time in the morning, the RWD has instituted a lawn-watering schedule based on the individual communities in which the resident lives. Spreading out the times when residents water their lawns has proven to be extremely effective at ensuring the water distribution system is not overtaxed. The schedule residents are required to implement is as follows:

• Villages of Roslyn, Roslyn Estates and Roslyn Harbor: 10 p.m. – midnight
• Village of East Hills: midnight – 2 a.m.
• Villages of Flower Hill and North Hills and unincorporated areas of Roslyn Heights, Greenvale, Albertson, Glenwood Landing and Port Washington: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m.
• Municipal properties: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

For residents who do not have a smart irrigation controller, there is an additional simple, yet effective, way to conserve water: following the District’s Save 2 program. This program is designed to help residents save approximately 10 percent on their water usage and, therefore, their water bill. All they have to do is cut back irrigation usage by two minutes per zone. According to irrigation experts, shortening watering times by 2 minutes will not have any negative effects on lawns, making this program a win for residents’ wallets and a win for our environment.

For more tips on how to save water around the house during the spring and summer, visit www.roslynwaterdistrict.org/water-conservation.