Just found out how much water a standard lawn sprinkler wastes

Honestly, I was looking at my water bill from last month and decided to check the EPA website. It says a typical underground sprinkler system can use about 1,500 gallons in a single 20-minute cycle. That's insane to me, especially living in Arizona where water is a big deal. Has anyone else switched to drip irrigation and actually seen a difference in their bill?

3 comments

3 Comments

karenc3215d ago

How could I have thought sprinklers were fine before seeing that number?

anna_foster4810d ago

Actually sprinklers can be fine for lawns if you run them at the right time. The big waste happens when people water in the middle of a hot day. Early morning is way better because less water just blows away or evaporates. The real shocker on the bill is usually from watering too often, not just the method. A good soak a couple times a week beats a little spray every day.

hayden70915d ago

My lawn looked so sad last year I thought I was watering a patch of concrete... turns out I was just paying to watch most of it evaporate. Switched to drip lines for my little garden area and the next bill was a pleasant shock. Still trying to figure out how to explain the brown grass to the neighbors though.