Pia K. Hansen : Go light on the sprinkling this summer, Spokane

I think spring is here. We’re probably due for one last tomato-killing frost, but I know garden season is upon us because once again water is running down our streets.

Seeing clean, drinkable water running in the gutter is a huge pet peeve of mine – a peeve that hasn’t gotten smaller after I spent a month in Lesotho, where neither water nor plumbing was readily available.

I know that’s kind of like saying, “finish your plate; think of all the starving children in India.” I do understand that Africa is not directly connected to our aquifer, but that doesn’t mean we can be pigs with the water we are blessed with here.

Please stop watering the streets, would you? They don’t need it. Actually, all that excess water probably contributes to our pothole problem.

Yes, I realize you pretty much have to water in the summer if you want anything green around, but could we agree to do it in a responsible manner?

Here’s my plea: If you, like me and thousands of other people, are getting ready to tackle a big yard makeover, stop and think about water conservation.

No, this is not about the price of water. When I bring up my water-in-the-gutter peeve, people often respond, “but water isn’t that expensive.”

Hello people: Water conservation is not about whether you can pay the water bill – it’s about conserving a natural resource that is likely to become increasingly scarce.

Now, about landscaping, I’m one of those people who never could get seriously excited about grass. Maybe it’s because I grew up on a farm where grass was something the cows walked on, and you baled it and hauled it around until your hands blistered and bled.

What I really can’t embrace is lawn maintenance: Watering your lawn in the blistering heat of summer to me is the height of environmental arrogance.

So as my mistreated yard is getting ready for a major overhaul, I’m killing grass to my heart’s content, determined to do “something different” in the parts of my yard where the sun bakes all day.

Yes, I am getting professional help.

People are hurtling big words at me like “xeriscaping” – and here I thought it was called zero-scaping, but I’m learning.

Reluctantly I’m embracing the concept of planning ahead. And it turns out that’s key if you want to limit watering. One step is to create water zones by planting plants and shrubs with similar needs in the same area – don’t forget to take daylight and sunshine into consideration.

There’s no need to turn every square inch into a rock garden, but do consider drought-tolerant and native plants. Ask at the nursery the next time you go; you’ll be surprised at the selection.

Consider using a drip irrigation and soaker-based system instead of sprinklers. Not only does drip irrigation deep water your plants, it may also reduce your water use by as much as 60 percent.

And please pay attention to your automatic sprinkler system. Here’s a hint: If water runs off your yard and into the street, something is not right.

If you use an old-fashioned sprinkler hooked to a hose, set your egg timer when you start watering – that way you will not forget to turn it off or move it when time is up.

The list of conservation tips goes on and on.

If conserving water isn’t high on your list of personal goals, I guess there’s not much I can do about that. Just don’t come whining when one authority or the other decides to restrict your watering practices by law – a step many communities across the country are taking because drinking water is becoming scarce.

Let’s see if we can’t figure this one out on our own, with a little common sense and without involving City Hall.