EDITORIAL:In fighting runoff, a sprinkle of hope

It is not a battleground as high profile as John Wayne Airport or as apt to cause such bitter debate as talk of a bridge over the Santa Ana River at 19th Street. But it is equally important and certainly more ever-present.

In fact, it is right out most people’s front doors.

The lawns and landscaping that otherwise improve the looks (not to mention value) of Newport Beach homes also are often the source of urban runoff, which in this community flows immediately and directly to the Back Bay, the harbor and the ocean. Here there is no hiding from the consequences and repercussions of not handling pollution, in whatever form, properly.

To its credit, the city of Newport Beach long has been working diligently to keep the community’s waters as clean as possible. The latest front in the battle comes through a simple device: an automatic sprinkler.

This week the city started a program, backed by a $300,000 federal grant, to encourage as many as 500 homeowners in Newport Coast to use a sprinkler that receives weather reports and senses ground conditions so it will not over-water — a significant source of runoff. In tests with 70 homes, 85% saw a marked reduction in water use, which offers much hope that a wider use of the device will make a noticeable improvement to the quality of water in this community.

In this battle, every little bit counts, and if a bit of smart technology can help clean up urban runoff in this area, then Newport Beach officials are wise to use it. That the cost is coming from the federal government makes the program all that much easier to applaud.

Now homeowners just need to take advantage of the program. It can save them money and save the environment. It is the right thing to do.