With summer in full swing, Arlington residents may be wondering about the best way to use their sprinkler systems to keep lawns healthy. Arlington Water Utilities can help.

July is the national Irrigation Association's Smart Irrigation Month. So, it's a great time to explore ways to use water efficiently while you irrigate shrubs, flowers, and grass. Here are some tips.

• Watering in Arlington isn't restricted by days of the week, but city ordinance does prohibit irrigation from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Exceptions are made for hand watering and the use of soaker hoses. Irrigating in the morning or evening is more efficient - and less costly - because less water is wasted through evaporation. Violations of watering hours restrictions can be reported through the city's app, Ask Arlington, and online at http://www.arlingtontx.gov/contact.
• Sign up for weekly watering advice sent to your email o r via text messaging by visiting http://www.waterisawesome.com/weekly-watering-advice. The free service from Tarrant Regional Water District uses information from weather stations across North Texas and rainfall data from the National Weather Service to estimate the amount of water your lawn and landscape needs. By providing your home address, you guarantee that the most accurate information will be sent. Advice also includes a website link to suggested run times for sprinkler types.
• Sign up for a free sprinkler evaluation. Arlington Water Utilitiesand the Tarrant Regional Water District, the city's raw water supplier, are offering a limited number of free sprinkler system check-ups for Arlington residents. When you sign up, a local licensed irrigator from the M & M Irrigation will perform a 45-minute evaluation with you of your sprinkler system to check how it is operating and provide recommendations for improvements. Click here to access a sign-up form for Arlington residents.
• Tune up your irrigation system. Fix leaks or damaged sprinkler heads and make sure they're aimed at the landscape, not the street or sidewalk. The Water Is Awesome website offers links to several videos that can help, including one on replacing sprinkler heads. Adding features like smart controllers or rain and freeze sensors to your irrigation system can also significantly reduce water use.

Get more advice by visiting www.waterisawesome.com. More information about Smart Irrigation Month and tips for consumers about watering wisely can be found on the Irrigation Association website at www.irrigation.org.