Each individual lot within the community has an irrigation controller that is used to set the run frequency (day of week) as well as the run duration (minutes) for each individual irrigation zone on your lot. The system also has a rain sensor that would automatically override the controller and not water on a scheduled day after a rain event. (only works when controller is not set to the bypass position)

Each Homeowner in Botanica Lakes is responsible for setting your irrigation controller to the desired settings. Your Monthly Water Bill is the direct result of both the frequency and zone run times that you have selected and programmed into your irrigation controller! With some attention to detail, you can probably cut your yearly irrigation water cost by 50%.

Setting your frequency and zone run times for you individual lot is not an exact science.

Generally, South and West exposures will require more irrigation water than East and North exposures. Month of the year also plays a huge factor, as the months of March, April, and May usually are the driest with low humidity and high evapotranspiration. October can be problematic once the summer rains stop and we transition into fall. During the summer, supplemental irrigation is usually not required unless it does not rain for a few days in a row. Many people turn their systems off and run their system manually.

The City of Fort Myers allows you to irrigate 3 times a week year round. For more information, visit http://www.cityftmyers.com/223/water-restrictions

Generally, for established lawns and landscapes, twice a week is sufficient to sustain a healthy lawn and landscape.

Most of Botanica Lakes irrigation systems use either spray heads or rotor heads or a combination of both to water your landscape. As a starting point to manage your irrigation program and costs, you might want to set spray head zones for 15 minutes and rotor head zones for 20 minutes, and observe. Continue to adjust these settings taking into account month of year and your North/East and South/West exposures on your property.

The following links will provide additional information and resources to help manage your irrigation:

• https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/irrigating/
• https://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/conservation/irrigating/winter.html
• https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ih025

If you need assistance setting up your controller settings, please send an e mail to the HOA Property Manager asking for assistance.