2008 Woodie Awards
CAUTION: wet cement
Lawn sprinklers often miss grass
Andrea Canterbury
Issue date: 6/26/08 Section: News
Some students are wondering why UCF is watering their sidewalks.
Although it upsets some students, UCF officials say certain elements can't be controlled and students are encouraged to report problems.
"You almost have to walk on the grass to avoid the water," said Jeanella Bronswinkel, a junior hospitality management major.
Bronswinkel said she has been sprayed by errant sprinklers more than once during her time on campus. She said the sprinklers near Millican Hall and the Library seem to drench the sidewalk rather than the grass.
Sophomore Raissa Simon, an early childhood education major, said she too has been soaked on her way to class and that the problem isn't really helping drought conditions.
"They're totally wasting water because it sprays all over the sidewalk, into the street, into the parking lot and not on the grass," she said.
Simon said she understands that the campus has to be pretty to attract new students, but there's also a limit to it.
"Everyone needs to save water, even UCF," Simon said.
Timothy Newman, the assistant director of UCF's Department of Landscape and Natural Resources, said the sidewalk watering can't always be helped.
"You can't curve water," Newman said.
Newman said that the sprinklers can only cover a certain angle and that can sometimes cause overspray on the curved sidewalks.
He said that another part of the problem is due to adjustment from trucks and carts hitting or misaligning the sprinkler heads when they drive around campus.
Even though the department is not responsible for all areas of the campus, he said they maintain about 750 acres of irrigated land. That equals a huge number of sprinkler heads requiring constant inspection and repair.
But some sprinklers are simply victims of windy weather throughout the day.
"We get calls about irrigating sidewalks and when the wind blows, it moves the water," Newman said. "It's just like a hurricane. The rain is falling straight out of the cloud and when the wind grabs it, it goes sideways - and there's a lot of sidewalks on campus."
Although it upsets some students, UCF officials say certain elements can't be controlled and students are encouraged to report problems.
"You almost have to walk on the grass to avoid the water," said Jeanella Bronswinkel, a junior hospitality management major.
Bronswinkel said she has been sprayed by errant sprinklers more than once during her time on campus. She said the sprinklers near Millican Hall and the Library seem to drench the sidewalk rather than the grass.
Sophomore Raissa Simon, an early childhood education major, said she too has been soaked on her way to class and that the problem isn't really helping drought conditions.
"They're totally wasting water because it sprays all over the sidewalk, into the street, into the parking lot and not on the grass," she said.
Simon said she understands that the campus has to be pretty to attract new students, but there's also a limit to it.
"Everyone needs to save water, even UCF," Simon said.
Timothy Newman, the assistant director of UCF's Department of Landscape and Natural Resources, said the sidewalk watering can't always be helped.
"You can't curve water," Newman said.
Newman said that the sprinklers can only cover a certain angle and that can sometimes cause overspray on the curved sidewalks.
He said that another part of the problem is due to adjustment from trucks and carts hitting or misaligning the sprinkler heads when they drive around campus.
Even though the department is not responsible for all areas of the campus, he said they maintain about 750 acres of irrigated land. That equals a huge number of sprinkler heads requiring constant inspection and repair.
But some sprinklers are simply victims of windy weather throughout the day.
"We get calls about irrigating sidewalks and when the wind blows, it moves the water," Newman said. "It's just like a hurricane. The rain is falling straight out of the cloud and when the wind grabs it, it goes sideways - and there's a lot of sidewalks on campus."