Hi Fountain, and happy first day of Spring!

As we look forward to the turning of the seasons, Spring is when we begin to turn on our irrigation systems and start planning our planting for the warmer days ahead.  As you think about your Spring garden plans, I have some tips on irrigation from our Utilities Department that you may find helpful.  First, our Fountain Utilities Department water and conservation experts recommend that you test run your sprinkler system to see if any breaks occurred over winter and need repair.   And if you are looking for an upgrade, Utilities has rebates for smart irrigation controllers.

Once everything is up and running, did you know that the city partners with Resource Central to offer a limited amount of free outdoor sprinkler system evaluations?  These evals consist of a visual inspection of all zones and minor adjustments, as well as testing watering zones to measure how much water the sprinklers put out and how evenly that water is distributed.  After the evaluation, you will be provided with a most efficient watering schedule, based off your specific system and landscape.  Fountain Water customers can get on the waitlist now but appointments do not begin until June.  If you are interested, you can get more information by visiting the Conservation and Sustainability link on the Utilities page of our website, www.fountaincolorado.org, or visit   Slow the Flow - Resource Central.  

Sticking with the theme of efficient water usage, Spring is also great time to plant, while the weather is still cooler it presents ideal conditions for plants to establish themselves.  You can fertilize and apply mulch around plants and shrubs to promote moisture retention and slow evaporation as the weather gets warmer.  Our Utilities Department also has information on landscape seminars that are free to attend.  And for those of you thinking about your lawn, remember, another water saving tip is to keep grass longer by raising your lawnmower blade,  which also improves moisture retention.

I hope you have a great Spring and a beautiful yard this year, while also saving water and some money in the process!  As always, the City of Fountain Utilities Department is here to help, so contact them anytime!

Mayor Thompson