Home and Garden

You Won’t Believe How Many Billions Of Gallons Of Water Are Lost To Faulty Sprinklers

Water is widely considered the most precious resource on our planet, but billions of gallons of it are wasted daily by the sprinkler systems many of us use to create lush landscapes around our homes. Learn ways to cut back on that wasted water while still feeding your lawn and garden.

It’s that time of year where many homeowners get very focused on creating beautiful backyard gardens and lush, green lawns but that can come at a high cost to our wallets and one of the planet’s most precious resources - water.

It’s estimated that outdoor sprinkler systems waste 1.5 billion gallons of water a day in the United States. Of all the water we use in our homes, sprinklers account for the largest amount of water waste. That’s all according to Conserva Irrigation, which is considered one of the top irrigation and water management services in the country.

So we spoke with them about ways homeowners can begin to conserve water and save themselves from high water bills.

If you already have a traditional sprinkler system there are some easy first steps you can take now, and during the scorching heat of summer.

INSPECT

Go ahead and walk around your yard and inspect your sprinkler system. Look for leaks and any clogged or broken sprinkler heads.

DIRECT

Make sure your sprinkler heads are aiming at your lawn or vegetation, not the sidewalks or your driveway.

REDUCE

Reduce the number of days and the amount of time you water your lawn. Grass does not need to be watered every day.

WATCH THE WEATHER

Pay attention to forecasts and weather patterns, so your sprinklers don’t come out when it’s pouring rain outside.

One of the best ways to conserve water and eventually lower your water bill is investing in sprinkler systems that use smart technology. While it appears to be an expensive endeavor, Conserva Irrigation's Brand President, Heather Todd, says it will quickly pay for itself, “We typically see a homeowner save 60% of their water consumption when they upgrade to smart technology. So if you did a brand new system, probably within 2 to 3 years you would have completely recouped the investment that you made in your property, and then that's going to last for many more years to come.”

Todd also says you can upgrade your traditional system in increments. One first step can be switching to high-efficiency sprinkler heads that reduce the amount of water used.

A complete, smart irrigation system will do even more says Todd, “So smart irrigation uses technology to account for the water that's needed for the yard or plant material, also the weather, having rain sensors and soil moisture guides. Rain sensors will catch when the water happens and will stop the irrigation.”

Using web connections and data transfers, smart tech irrigation systems also look at weather patterns and the soil environment for your area to deliver precisely what your landscape needs.

Todd added that, “The actual devices that deliver the water are precision nozzles. So they're reducing the amount of water that's put out, making sure that it's uniform, it's even over the substance, so you aren't wasting or using more water than you need or more water than the soil can take.”

Even with all the technological advantages available Todd emphasized that the most important thing is to take whatever small steps you can to conserve water, “If you do one thing, there’s a ripple effect and we impact the Earth.”

MORE ON WEATHER.COM

Looking to Summer: Who Will Scorch And Who Will Get Soaked?

Stop Doing This When You Cut Your Grass

Earth Day Then And Now: How A Single Day Sparked Decades Of Change