Conserving Water
Irrigation Efficiency Check
Save Water and Money
At Houston Public Works, we are committed to promoting water conservation and helping residents optimize their irrigation systems. Improper irrigation can waste up to 50% of the water used in residential landscapes, leading to higher water bills and unnecessary strain on our water resources.
Our Irrigation Efficiency Check is designed to guide you through a simple evaluation of your irrigation system and provide personalized recommendations for improvement. By participating, you’ll gain valuable insights into how to enhance your watering practices, conserve water and maintain a beautiful landscape.
Why Participate?
- Identify Water Waste: Learn how to spot inefficiencies in your irrigation system.
- Receive Tailored Recommendations: Get personalized tips based on your unique setup and habits.
- Save Money: Reduce water bills by improving the efficiency of your irrigation system.
- Contribute to Sustainability: Join us in conserving water and protecting our environment.
How It Works
- Answer a few simple questions about your irrigation setup.
- Receive personalized suggestions via email to enhance water efficiency.
- Implement the recommendations to conserve water and save money.
Start the Irrigation Efficiency Check Now!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long does the survey take?
A: The survey takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.
Q: How will I get my personalized irrigation recommendations?
A: You’ll receive an email with tailored tips to improve your irrigation efficiency within 10-14 business days.
Q: Will I be added to an email list?
A: No, you'll only receive one email with your irrigation recommendations.
Q: How can I contact the Water Conservation team for further assistance?
A: You can reach us at [email protected].
Best Practices for Watering Your Lawn and Garden
Have you ever wondered, “When is the best time to water my yard?” or “How long should I run each irrigation zone?”
Houston Public Works and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension have partnered to provide easy-to-follow, personalized advice through the Water My Yard program.
Just enter your address, irrigation details, and local weather information, and you’ll receive weekly watering recommendations by email or text. To get started, visit WaterMyYard.org or download the app. It’s free!
Choose the Right System
- Drip Irrigation: Consider installing a drip irrigation system for garden beds and flowerpots. This method delivers water directly to the roots, minimizing evaporation.
- Smart Sprinklers: Invest in smart irrigation controllers that adjust watering schedules based on weather conditions and soil moisture levels.
Adjust Your System Seasonally
- Seasonal Adjustments: Change your watering schedule as the seasons change. During cooler months, grass goes dormant and needs less water.
- Monitor Weather Patterns: Use local weather forecasts to adjust your watering times and amounts accordingly, use the Water My Yard app to get specific watering advice for your yard.
Use Efficient Watering Techniques
- Water Early or Late: Water in the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation losses and allow plants to absorb moisture effectively.
- Adjust Sprinklers: Ensure that sprinklers are positioned to avoid watering sidewalks and driveways.
- Turn sprinklers off before rain and leave them off for a few days if more than 1/2 inch of rain falls.
Maintain Your System
- Regular Inspections: Check your irrigation system regularly for leaks, clogs, and broken sprinkler heads. Repair or replace as necessary to ensure efficiency.
- Flush the System: Periodically flush your system to remove sediment buildup and ensure consistent water flow.
Group Plants Wisely: Group plants with similar water needs together to optimize watering. This allows you to water specific areas according to their unique requirements.
Utilize Weather and Soil Moisture Sensors: Equip your irrigation system with WaterSense labeled weather or soil moisture sensor-based controller that automatically shut off watering during rain events, conserving water and preventing overwatering.
- Regular Inspections: Conduct routine checks of your entire irrigation system at least once a month, especially during the growing season, to identify any signs of leaks.
- Monitor Water Usage: Keep track of your water bill and usage patterns, as a sudden increase in water consumption can indicate a leak in your irrigation system.
- Check Sprinkler Heads: Inspect all sprinkler heads for clogs, cracks, or breakage that may cause leaks, and ensure they are adjusted properly to avoid overspray.
- Test the System: Run your irrigation system and observe all zones for irregularities, looking for water spraying in unintended directions or pooling in specific areas.
- Repair Promptly: Address leaks as soon as they are detected, as small leaks can quickly escalate into larger problems if left unaddressed.
- Know Your System: Familiarize yourself with your irrigation system’s layout, including the locations of pipes, valves, and connectors, to quickly identify and resolve issues.
- Maintain Soil Health: Avoid overwatering, which can lead to waterlogged soil and increased pressure on irrigation components, ultimately resulting in leaks.
- Consider Upgrades: If your irrigation system is old or frequently has leaks, consider upgrading to modern, efficient components designed to reduce the risk of leaks.
- Hire Professionals When Necessary: If you suspect a major leak or cannot locate the source of a leak, hiring a professional irrigation technician can help assess and repair the system effectively.
- Soil Moisture Check: Use a soil moisture meter or simply dig down about 2-3 inches into the soil. If the soil feels dry at this depth, it’s time to water.
- Grass Color and Texture: Observe the color and texture of your grass first thing in the morning. If the grass blade is tall, straight and the leaf is open, then watering is not needed. If it appears dull, brown, or brittle, or if the blades are folding or wilting, these are signs that your yard needs watering.
- Footprint Test: Walk on your lawn; if your footprints remain visible and don’t bounce back quickly, it’s a sign that the grass is dry and needs water.
- Early Morning (Before 8 a.m.): Watering in the early morning allows the grass and plants to absorb moisture before the heat of the day causes evaporation. This is considered the ideal time for irrigation, as temperatures are cooler and winds are typically calmer.
- Late Evening (After 7 p.m.): If morning watering isn’t possible, late evening is the second-best option. Watering at this time allows plants to take in moisture overnight. However, excessive moisture on the foliage overnight can lead to fungal diseases, so be cautious.
- Avoid Midday Watering: Watering during the hottest part of the day (between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.) is not recommended, as much of the water will evaporate before it can be absorbed by the soil. In fact, studies suggest that up to 50% of water can be lost to evaporation during these hours, leading to inefficient watering practices.
- Avoid watering on windy days, as the wind can cause uneven watering and increase evaporation rates. Water droplets can be carried away before they reach the ground, resulting in insufficient hydration for your plants.
- Irrigation is meant to supplement rainfall, so keep track of rainfall amounts and use the Water My Yard app to take the guess work out of your watering schedule. Don’t set it and forget it!
- Always check the soil moisture before watering. If the top 2-3 inches of soil is dry, it’s time to water. If it’s still moist, you can wait a day or two before checking again.
- Summer: Water no more than twice a week, if necessary. Frequent watering can make your landscape reliant on irrigation, so watering less often encourages plant roots to grow deeper in search of moisture.
- Spring/Fall: In the transitional seasons of spring and fall, water your yard once a week or as needed based on weather conditions and plant growth. These seasons often bring more rainfall, so keep an eye on the moisture levels in your soil.
- Winter: With shorter days and colder nights winter is not a growing season, plants are dormant, turn off irrigation system from November 1st to February 28th to save water and money.
- Watering to a depth of 4-6 inches promotes deeper root growth, which enhances drought tolerance and overall grass health.
- It typically takes about 1/2 inch of water to sufficiently penetrate the soil to this depth, encouraging deeper root systems.
- To determine how long to run your irrigation system to apply 1/2 inch of water, you can conduct a “Catch Can Test” to measure how long it takes to fill to the desired depth.