Innovations in irrigation help homeowners to reduce water usage

Under a past 'Drought Alert,' San Diego County residents had to adhere to usage restrictions associated with that status by irrigating their landscape before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m., eliminating water waste from inefficient irrigation from runoff or overspray, not washing down paved surfaces and more.

Those regulations had most home and business owners taking a hard look at their watering habits.

Kyle Hawkins, commercial/wholesale sales manager for Grangetto's Farm & Garden Supply, said the least expensive thing residents can do to reduce their water usage on their landscape is to "check (do...