EPWU offers irrigation advice to professionals, homeowners

With another hot, dry summer just around the corner, El Paso Water Utilities will host a series of workshops that can help El Pasoans irrigate more efficiently, whether they’re responsible for watering a small lawn or a giant football field.

The educational series will be held at EPWU’s Carlos M. Ramirez TecH₂O Water Resources Learning Center at 10751 Montana Avenue in East El Paso.

• Professional Workshop: On Thursday, April 4, and Friday, April 5, professional irrigators from across Far West Texas and Southern New Mexico will gather at the TecH₂O Center to attend the Landscape Irrigation Auditing and Management Short Course. The course is designed to showcase the latest techniques which ensure efficient irrigation. Professionals who enroll in the course will also gain hands-on experience by performing an actual irrigation audit. The course is intended for irrigators who are responsible for watering large tracts such as parks, apartment complexes, and sporting facilities.

• Free Public Event:  On Saturday, April 6, the public is invited to attend between 9:30am and 1pm. The workshop, entitled “Waste Not, Want Not: Effective Irrigation in the Chihuahuan Desert,” is free of charge and will include demonstrations from EPWU, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Master Gardeners, and Master Naturalists. This event is intended for the homeowner and will include information on rain-water harvesting, how to xeriscape, and methods to care for desert plants. Children will have the opportunity to make a bird feeder for their backyard. More information on the public event can be found by clicking on “events” at TecH₂O.org.

Anyone responsible for maintaining a residential landscape is reminded to abide by the city’s year-round watering schedule: Odd addresses water on Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday; Even addresses on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday. Between April 1 and September 30, outdoor watering is prohibited between 10am and 6pm. Visit LessisMoreEP.org