District councils re-launch SMART Watering

21 October 2016

District councils re-launch SMART Watering

In a bid to help home gardeners cope with another dry summer, the SMART Watering campaign re-launched today on the eve of Labour Weekend – New Zealand’s traditional start to summer gardening.

Five Canterbury districts have joined forces with IrrigationNZ, Canterbury’s regional council and two industry partners to help the region’s home gardeners make the best use of irrigation water this summer.

Home gardeners, lifestyle irrigators, small businesses, sports grounds and schools are the target of the public awareness and education campaign which was piloted last summer in Timaru, Ashburton, Selwyn and Waimakariri Districts.

This year Mackenzie District has joined the brand, whose partners also include Environment Canterbury and industry suppliers Water Supply Products and RX Plastics.

The SMART Watering campaign teaches urban gardeners how to apply water efficiently. Its wider roll-out follows on from the successful SMART Irrigation programme which guides irrigating farmers to ensure targeted and efficient water use.

This year’s campaign will focus on educating people about ‘drip irrigation’ – the most efficient way to apply water, the benefits of timers or controllers for home garden irrigation systems, and how to store and use rainwater within the garden.

Case studies have been produced in the five districts taking part showcasing a range of people and groups using water efficiently. These include an organic gardening set-up in Mid Canterbury, Lincoln University’s irrigation modernisation project, a family of four who grow all their own food near Kaiapoi, a park re-grassing project in Twizel and the South Canterbury Rugby Football Union’s collaboration with Timaru District Council, which has led to reduced irrigation on its sports fields.

“The campaign’s return shows the appetite that exists for SMART Watering information. Home gardeners can learn a lot from irrigating farmers. Knowing how much water plants and crops require, installing efficient systems for water application and the monitoring of soil moisture are practices everyone should employ.

Our focus this season will be on introducing more people to drip irrigation, timers and controllers for home irrigation systems and the benefits of water storage,” says IrrigationNZ CEO Andrew Curtis.

As well as case studies illustrating these approaches, topic-specific SMART Watering factsheets are available on the Facebook page WateringSMART and website www.smartirrigation.co.nz/smartwatering

Simple things like choosing early mornings or evenings to water your plants, setting a timer on the veggie patch sprinkler, investigating rain tanks on the roof, or selecting less water-hungry plants are recommended.

SMART stands for sustainably managed, accountable, responsible and trusted.
SMART Irrigation and SMART Watering practice rely on the same principles – checking that your system can apply water efficiently, that your use of water is justified and that you are monitoring and measuring as you go.

SMART Watering isn’t difficult and will save you time and money in the long term.

SMART Watering is sustainable watering – be part of the solution to conserve supply.

“The momentum that’s now being generated around SMART Watering is exciting. As well as Mackenzie District joining the Canterbury programme, we’re putting together a pilot campaign for the Bay of Plenty this summer.

We’ve also had interest from the greater Wellington, Auckland and Central Otago regions. SMART Watering is an approach that has relevance for all New Zealanders,” says Mr Curtis.

ends

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