Water Saving Tips for Golf Courses and Industrial Landscapes

Start a Water Conservation Program

  • Increase employee awareness of water conservation.
  • Install signs encouraging water conservation in employee and customer restrooms.
  • When cleaning with water is necessary, use budgeted amounts.
  • Read water meter weekly to monitor success of water conservation efforts.
  • Assign an employee to monitor water use and waste.
  • Seek employee suggestions on water conservation; locate suggestion boxes in prominent areas.
  • Determine the quantity and purpose of water being used.
  • Determine other methods of water conservation.

Survey the Facility

  • Identify water source points.
  • Develop a schematic of all water entry points (know where your faucets, time clock, solenoids, booster pumps, sprinklers and bubblers are located).
  • Identify capacity of each water-carrying unit and frequency of use. Determine specific use for each entry source.

Interior Areas

  • Discontinue continuous flow.
  • Use ponded water where available.
  • Adjust flows to reduce discharge of water.
  • Install water-waving devices to decrease water consumption -
  • Restrooms (toilet dams and flappers), faucets (aerators), cooling systems.
    Use recycling systems for chillers and cooling towers.
  • Consider installing energy- and water-efficient air conditioning equipment.
  • Conservation suggestions for clubhouse areas are contained in the "Restaurants" and "Hotels and Motels" checklists.

Maintenance Procedures

  • Sweep materials from floor instead of washing down whenever possible.
  • Instruct clean-up crews to use less water where appropriate.
  • Check water supply system for leaks.
  • Repair dripping faucets and continuously-running or leaking toilets.

Design and Maintenance Procedures for Turf and Landscape Areas

  • Contact your local water supplier about possible landscape water auditor classes for your golf course managers.
  • Hire a golf course and/or landscape architect with water conservation and xeriscape experience.
  • Use turf only where actually necessary; such as picnic areas/outside lunch areas and golf course target areas (greens, tees, landing areas).
  • Limit or exclude turf from roughs.
  • Use only low-water use plant material in non-turf areas.
  • Use automatic irrigation systems monitored by moisture probes (i.e., tensiometers).
  • Design dual watering system with sprinklers for turf and low-volume irrigation for plants, trees, and shrubs.
  • Operate sprinkler system before sunrise and after sunset. Amount of irrigation can be determined by the evapotranspiration rate.
  • Use properly-treated waste water for irrigation where available.

Exterior Areas

  • Discontinue using water to clean sidewalks, tennis courts, pool decks, driveways, and parking lots.
  • Stop irrigation water from running onto streets and alleys.

For More Information

For more information contact the Water Supply Program at 410-537-3702 or water.supply@maryland.gov

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