Water Restrictions & ponds

[Backyard Getaway]

Did you know that the latest watering restrictions now say that if you have a fountain in your yard that you are only allowed to run it for 4 hours a day? What they don't tell you is that if your fountain, pond or water garden sustains life, (fish, turtles, frogs, plants etc.) that it is exempt from this restriction & can be run 24/7. This restriction was obviously included by someone who doesn't really know much about fountains or ponds.

To clarify, ponds are in fact a recirculating system & do not "use" water on a daily basis. The water in the pond recirculates with the use of a pump & filter & if installed properly will only lose a minimal amount of water due to evaporation. Even if the fountain is off it can still lose this small amount of water from evaporation.

Another interesting point is that a pond or water garden actually uses less water than your lawn. A pond is also eco friendly, because, unlike the lawn it does not need fertilizers, weed killers or pest control. At the same time, it provides a habitat for many wildlife creatures from birds & squirrels to frogs & turtles. The best part is that you can grow a huge variety of beautiful aquatic plants & lilies with out having to have a green thumb!