FIND IT
FLAG IT
FIX IT
A CHECKLIST FOR
YOUR LANDSCAPE
A simple walk through
your landscape can help
you save water outdoors
EPA
Water Sense
EPA-832-F-20-004
PHONE (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367) WEBSITE www.epa.gov/watersense EMAIL watersense@epa.sov April 2020

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f you have an in-ground irrigation system, did you know that just one broken or missing sprinkler
component could waste as much as 1,000 gallons of water per week? Making repairs to your
system could save thousands of gallons of water and hundreds of dollars in water costs over a six-
month irrigation season. That's why it is so important to keep your sprinkler system operating in
tip-top shape.
This checklist can help you conduct periodic check-ups on your system during the
year. If you identify leaking pipes, broken sprinklers, or inefficient irrigation
schedules and need help fixing them, seek out an irrigation professional certified by
a WaterSense labeled program to audit your system. A certified pro can find and fix
leaks, replace broken sprinkler components, ensure even distribution of water, and
adjust your irrigation controller schedule to ensure plants only receive water when
they need it. Learn more at www.epa.gov/watersense/irriqation-pro.
If you update your system, remember that the WaterSense label identifies products that have been
certified for water efficiency and performance.
Look for issue Description	How to check	What to do
~ Leaks
Can occur at
irrigation valves,
connection points,
joints, and sprinkler
heads or drip
irrigation lines.
Walkthrough the
landscape while the
system is running and
look for water pooling
on the surface or water
spraying where it
shouldn't.
Flag the location of each leak or
break and contact an irriaation
professional.
~ Broken or
missing
sprinklers and
drippers
Pedestrians or
machinery can
damage irrigation
components.
Damaged sprinklers
can cause water to go
where it shouldn't.
Run a test of the system
and look for missing
sprinklers, those that do
not pop up fully, drip
lines that have been cut
or moved out of place, or
small geysers.
Flag the broken component
and contact an irriaation
professional.
~ Sprinklers
aimed
incorrectly
Sprinklers pointed
toward walls and
hardscapes miss the
landscape and waste
water.
Look for sprinklers that
overspray or spray water
onto areas outside the
landscape.
In most cases, you can turn
the nozzle to face the correct
direction, or flag it for a pro to
fix.
~ Poor sprinkler
coverage
Can cause over-
watering in some
areas of the
landscape and dry
spots in others.
Observe the distance of
spray from one sprinkler
to another; spray from
one sprinkler should
reach the adjacent one
(known as head-to-head
coverage).
Adjust the spray distance
and direction of the nozzle to
ensure head-to-head coverage
or contact an irriaation pro:
sprinkler heads may need to be
added or moved.
Cover photos courtesy of: Rain Bird (left),Texas Agrilife Research and Extension Center (top middle), and Hunter Industries (top right).
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Look for issue Description	How to check	What to do
~ Misting
High pressure can
cause misting that is
easily blown away by
wind and not used by
the landscape.
Look for a fine mist
coming from sprinklers.
Askyour irrigation professional
to check the water pressure. If
it is too high, they can install
WaterSense labeled sprav
sprinkler bodies with intearal
pressure regulation.
~ Bad dripper
spacing in your
microirrigation
system
Microirriaation
drippers should be
placed near the root
zone of each plant.
Look for drippers that
are on bare soil or not
right next to plants.
Move the drip line to the root
zone of the plants.
~ Irrigation
schedule not
adjusted for the
seasons
Plant water needs
change with the
season, and the
schedule should as
well.
If vou use a weather-
based controller,
it should be set to
weather-based mode.
If it's a timer, you
should have a seasonal
schedule to follow.
Select the weather-based mode
on the controller if available, or,
for timers, post or set a reminder
to change the schedule as the
season changes.
~ Significant
overwatering
Runtimes that are too
long or frequent, or
irrigating after rain,
can keep water from
infiltrating the soil.
Check for pooling water
or runoff after irrigation.
Shorten runtimes, increase
the time between them, or
consider a weather-based or
soil moisture-based irrigation
controller.
~ Soil moisture
sensor (if used)
is not fully
buried
The soil moisture
sensor should be
buried deep enough
in the soil to obtain
accurate readings of
soil moisture and per
the manufacturer's
instructions.
Where the sensor is
buried, look for soil
that has been removed,
exposing the sensor.
Contact a certified irriaation
professional to reinstall and
check for damaged wires where
applicable.
~ Erosion on
slopes
Steep slopes in the
landscape can cause
runoff and erosion
during irrigation,
leaving bare patches
in the landscape.
Look for bare soil or
empty patches on the
slope. You can also look
for soil that is eroding on
the landscape.
Water at shorter intervals
(known as the"cycle-and-soak"
method) on steep slopes. Mulch
or add plants on slopes to
reduce erosion.
~ Dry or dormant
plants
Some plants lose
their leaves or color
as the seasons
change; others
become dry or brittle
when they do not get
enough water.
Feel plants or grass to
see if they are dry or
brittle to the touch.
Consult a landscape
professional or plant reference
to determine if a plant can
go dormant or needs more
water. If supplemental water
is needed, add mulch or other
soil amendments to help retain
water and nutrients.
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ADDITIONAL TIPS
Promote Water-Smart Landscaping
When updating your landscaping, choose plant varieties
that require less water, such as drought-tolerant plants or
species that are native to your region. Once established,
native and low water-using plants require little water
beyond normal rainfall. Find a section of your landscape
that is suitable for these plants to reduce watering
requirements in that zone. And remember, sometimes
plants will go dormant, but they should come back to life
in the next growing season.
Feed Your Soil
A healthy soil can hold more water and provide
important nutrients for plants. Aerating and mulching are
great ways to loosen the soil and retain nutrients in the
soil. Healthier soil means that you will not have to irrigate
as often. Organic and inorganic soil amendments can be
mixed into the soil and increase how much water the soil
can hold.
Get in the Zone
Your irrigation system may have different zones so that it
can provide water to plants that have similar water needs
(i.e., hydrozones).The plant and soil type in each zone will
determine how long the system should run. Establishing
different hydrozones in the landscape prevents different
plant types from receiving too much or too little water.
Get to know your zones by testing them one by one on
the controller, so that you can adjust a particular zone.
Get Control of Your Watering Habits
In an automated watering system, the irrigation controller
activates each irrigation zone. A clock-timed irrigation
controller can be set with a repeatable schedule, but
since it does not connect to any weather service or
weather device, you need to remember to change
the schedule with the seasons.To automate seasonal
schedule changes, consider installing a WaterSense
labeled weather-based irrigation controller. These
controllers connect to a local weather service or have an
onsite weather sensor to adjust the irrigation schedule
based on local weather, allowing watering schedules to
better match plants' needs.
Know Your Irrigation Rate
Your local water utility or extension service may
recommend irrigating your landscape a specific number
of inches of water per week for your region. To know
how long to run your system to reach that requirement,
determine the flow rate of your system by consulting
information available from the manufacturer. If you
want an estimate based on the actual flow rate, follow
these tips: Save several empty cans, such as tuna cans,
and make a mark 1 /2 inch from the bottom of each can.
Place the empty cans around your lawn while you're
watering, and time how long it takes to collect 1 /2 inch
of water. Based on that time, you can determine how
long to run your system to reach the recommended
watering amount. If you need help, a certified irrigation
professional can help you make sure your yard is getting
the water it needs.
Cycle and Soak
Give this a try if you see water pooling during irrigation;
Run a single irrigation zone and see how long it takes
for water to pool on the surface. Split your total runtime
into shorter cycle intervals that wili add up to the total
runtime, and spread out irrigation events to allow the
water to soak into the soil. For example, if it takes 15
minutes to reach your recommended watering amount,
set the system to water three times for 5 minutes. Allow
about 30 minutes between cycles to let the water soak
into the landscape. Repeat with the other zones in your
landscape. If you have a sandy soil and notice water does
not pool on the surface, only irrigate long enough for the
plants to get their required water.
For More Information
•	WaterSense labeled irrigation products: www.epa.
gov/watersense/watersense-products
•	Find an irrigation professional: www.epa.gov/
watersense/irrigation-pro
•	Microirrigation: www.epa.gov/watersense/
microirrioation
•	Landscaping tips: www.epa.gov/watersense/
landscapinci-tips
•	Water wisely: www.epa.gov/watersense/watering-tips
Learn more at www.epa.gov/watersense/outdoors.
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