Reduce Water Use

Irrigation upgrades and changes are key to lasting water savings.

Start by setting a savings goal.

The water-saving potential of a project depends on the difference between the current and future water use. These major factors can help you estimate the water savings potential of a project.

Current Water Use

How much irrigation does the existing landscape vegetation require?
How efficient is the existing irrigation system?
How is the irrigation system scheduled and managed?
How much irrigation is being applied?

Future Water Use

How much irrigation does the native grass require?
How much irrigation will be needed to water the shrubs, trees, turgrass, and any other
vegetation that is retained?
How much water will be saved through better irrigation equipment, layout, and management, as well as leak repair?

Invest in irrigation improvements.

Fixing leaks, modernizing controllers, more frequent maintenance checks and repairs, better management, and equipment upgrades can often achieve 25% water savings (or greater) in an irrigation system— without vegetation changes.

Even better, the savings begin as soon as improvements are made.

A Step-by-Step Approach

Here are the steps to sustainable irrigation.

Assess past water use

Examine historical water consumption data and compare it to the required amount for maintaining healthy landscaping. Identify whether the property has been over-watered or under-watered. Seek assistance from landscape experts, irrigation specialists, or your local water supplier for guidance.

Define a water use goal

Set a water use goal by specifying a percentage reduction or an average annual gallons-per-square-foot target. This will help you outline a water management plan, explore design possibilities, and evaluate achievements. Conducting a cost-benefit analysis of landscape projects aligned with the water use goal can help you decide which projects to support.

Have an irrigation evaluation performed

Landscape professionals and irrigation specialists can perform an onsite inspection to assess your sprinkler systems for upgrades, repairs, and scheduling changes. They can identify leaks, recommend scheduling improvements, and suggest cost-saving opportunities. Ask them to prioritize tasks for systematic repairs and inquire about rebates from local water providers.

Improve or reduce irrigation first

Try irrigation efficiency or reduction measures first before considering vegetation changes. Reduce watering frequency or run times to save water while maintaining grass appearance. Low-cost options like better irrigation management can meet water use goals without major projects.

Map irrigation zones

It’s common to keep some turf grass and change other landscape areas to native grass. Since native grass requires a different watering schedule than turf grass it’s crucial to separate grass conversion areas based on existing irrigation zones. This step ensures the native grass receives less frequent watering than the remaining turfgrass, trees, or shrubs.

If an irrigation system map available, pinpoint the zones for grass conversion and turfgrass retention. If not, the irrigation evaluator can help identify potential conversion areas. Sometimes, the irrigation system may need to be reconfigured. Once the location of native grass and existing vegetation are finalized, the overall site water consumption can be estimated.

Implement, refine, and monitor

Once a plan has been implemented, monitor water use and refine actions as needed to meet the community’s goals.

How much investment is necessary?

If native grass needs less water, how important are irrigation improvements? You don’t need to have a high-performing system to sustain native grass.

Complete the irrigation updates that will reduce water waste to ensure good seed germination, establishment, and appearance during dry periods. Watch this video to learn more.