As the weather heats up, keeping your landscape lush and green is on everyone’s mind. But here's a surprising fact: a broken or misaligned sprinkler can waste up to 6,300 gallons of water per month — that’s enough to fill a swimming pool!
This spring, take a moment to inspect your sprinkler system. A little maintenance now can save you money and protect our precious water resources in the long run. It’s simple: inspect, connect, direct, and select your system, and you’ll be doing your part to keep Roseville beautiful while saving water.
- Inspect for breaks and leaks: Sprinkler issues can go unnoticed since most systems run at night or early in the morning. Broken or tilted heads can waste water and flood your landscape. Use WaterSense’s checklist to walk each zone and flag any problems. If you find damage, you can repair it with a ton of online resources to guide you along the way.
- Check connections: Leaks at sprinkler joints or valves may signal high pressure or debris in the system that can waste up to 6,300 gallons a month. Make sure all parts are tightly connected and that valves fully close. Pooled water between cycles can indicate underground leaks.
- Direct sprinklers wisely: Make sure sprinklers water your yard—not the sidewalk, driveway, or walls. Adjust for even, head-to-head coverage and avoid overspray. For better performance, use spray bodies with built-in pressure regulation.
- Select a WaterSense labeled system: Upgrade to a smart controller that adjusts watering based on weather or soil moisture. If runoff occurs, try cycle-and-soak—short watering intervals with breaks—to help water soak in and promote healthy roots.
- Maintain routine upkeep: Regular maintenance, even small adjustments, can make a big impact on your water usage. Check your irrigation system throughout the entire irrigation season so you can make changes right away to reduce water waste.
“Keeping up with routine maintenance and making small changes can have a huge impact on a customer’s water usage,” says Bobby Alvarez, Water Conservation Administrator. “Many residents don’t know how much water was lost until they check their bill- where this upkeep really shows itself.”
This April, why not treat your sprinkler system to a little spring cleaning, too? It's the perfect time to refresh both your home and your water bill with some easy upgrades. For more water saving resources, visit
Roseville.ca.us/savewater, or
WaterSense's page.