Record rainfall still leaves Arizona in drought condition

Pauline Lee

On September 8 Chandler and Sun Lakes received a record breaking rainfall of over five and one-half inches. Our streets, yards and golf courses were flooded. Our rainfall has given our plants a wonderful soaking to allow them to grow without any irrigation for at least two weeks. After that time one needs to test that the top few inches of soil is moist in order to skip another irrigation cycle. Our weather is also cooling down, resulting in less evaporation from the plants and the ground. When you start your irrigation again, the period between the cycles should increase as our temperatures drop. Sign up for the free WaterSaver newsletter written by the city of Chandler. Go to  www.Chandleraz.gov and click on Read the WaterSaver Newsletter to sign up. Remember, in the summer 70 percent of water usage for the average home is spent on landscapes. If you cut out a week’s worth of watering, that could lower your bill by 17 percent. Arizona is still suffering from over a decade of drought. The rain allows us to avoid overuse of our limited water supply in aquifers.