Upgrade Your Sprinklers During Smart Irrigation Month

July is Smart Irrigation Month, a great time to upgrade your sprinklers to water more effectively!  Smart controllers and multi-stream rotary nozzles are two ways to do just that!

Smart controllers help manage sprinkler systems more efficiently by giving you 24/7 access to your system. They can notify you when the sprinklers operate, are generally easier to program, and many can connect to local weather networks to know exactly when and how long to water. Check online to see if your existing controller is already smartphone compatible.

Smart Controllers can be installed by following the instructions in the manual, or hiring an irrigation professional.

Multi-stream rotary nozzles are up to 30% more efficient than standard pop-up spray nozzles since the water is sprayed in multiple streams with larger water drops that don’t evaporate as quickly. The rotating streams reduce runoff by allowing the water more time to soak in.  You can simply replace standard nozzles with the multi-stream rotary nozzles to quickly upgrade without digging!

You can easily replace your existing nozzles with multi-stream ones by unscrewing the existing nozzles from their risers and replacing them with the new parts. Be sure to use the same nozzle types within a zone to prevent uneven watering.

Take the Pledge to water less and find more water-saving tips at WaterLessYall.com!

Is Your Yard Crying? No, You're Watering Too Long.

Don’t leave your sprinklers running for too long, otherwise the water may not soak into the soil causing unnecessary runoff and water waste.  Double check your sprinkler controller to make sure each zone is set to the proper duration.

Try the ‘Cycle & Soak’ method - - run shorter cycles and wait 30-45 minutes (or up to an hour) before the next cycle to allow the water to fully absorb into the soil.  Below are suggested runtimes for each type of sprinkler head to apply a quarter inch of water during each cycle.

Fixed Spray Head – 6 minutes

Rotor Heads – 10 to 15 minutes

Multi-stream Heads – 25 minutes

Drip Zones – 30 minutes

For guidance on how much water is needed each week, sign up for free recommendations at WaterMyYard.org. 

Find videos, recordings of educational classes, and more outdoor water-saving tips at WaterLessYall.com.