City Utilities staff are reminding residents that, during spring and summer months, landscapes can be watered twice a week rather than only once per week during winter months.
The change allows people to use their sprinklers on lawns and plants based on their address — people who live on odd addresses can water on Tuesdays and Saturdays and people who live on even addresses can water on Wednesdays and Sundays.
The spring and summer watering schedule lasts from March 1 until Oct. 31.
“As the weather warms up, many assume that plants need water every day, which is usually not the case,” said Roshini Das, a program manager with the City’s water sustainability program. “Deep watering is what plants need to get moisture to the roots and using sprinklers two-days-per-week is ideal while saving water overall.”
People can use their sprinklers on automatic timers before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. but should not to allow water to run off into sidewalks or gutters.
Das says that watering by hand can be done any day regardless of the watering schedule as it can reduce or prevent water waste.
“When we water by hand, we are present, are watching the watering and know when to avoid runoff, unlike when sprinklers run unseen in the middle of the night.”
No watering is allowed for a 48-hour period after it rains more than one-eighth of an inch.
Sacramento City Council after a period of “exceptional” drought in 2017 voted to make long-term water conservation a goal by adopting two-day-a-week watering schedules in spring and summer.