We all expect to see green on the golf course and green at the ball parks. But keeping parks looking that way can take a lot of water during the summer. 

Aberdeen’s parks and recreation department is working to conserve. 

Seven hundred sprinklers spread through the Lee Park Golf course in Aberdeen use about 25 million gallons of water a year, and for a golf course that's not a lot. 

"We're not over watering low spots. We're able to concentrate water in the dryer areas," golf course superintendent Gary Nelson said. 

That's thanks to an electrical irrigation system that, among other things, helps workers control which areas are watered. Nelson says it's helped them conserve water. 

That's one reason parks superintendent Mark Hoven wants to see all the department’s irrigation systems in the city updated to electrical. 

"We've actually studied this quite a bit. We just need to figure out what works best for our system and what's the most efficient way of doing it," Hoven said. 

Parks and recreation manages seven places that still use an old-style hydraulic system for irrigation. Not only do they use more water, but Hoven says they cost more to maintain as well. 

A crew is replacing one of those old systems now, but high costs prevent them from replacing all of them at this time. 

"This project alone was a $60,000 project and that's with us doing the install," Hoven said. 

And after it's done, like it is at the golf course, there's always another thing that can be added. 

"If we had the money we wanted, everything would be up to date," Nelson said. 

One of the things they want to add are rain and moisture sensors that shut the system off if it's not needed. The city council has set aside some money in the 2009 budget for that technology.