How Much Water Does a Sprinkler Use for Lawn Irrigation? (And How Much Is It Costing You?)

If you’ve ever watched water from your sprinklers run off your lawn and into a sewer, then you’ve felt the pain of watching your money go right down the drain. Outdoor irrigation is one of the top sources of household water use, and although lawns and plants do need a lot of water, you could be overwatering, wasting both water and money. So how much water does a sprinkler use, and is yours wasting too much water? Read on to learn how to estimate sprinkler water usage, determine water costs, and find ways to conserve more water in your yard.

How Much Water Does a Sprinkler System Use?

The amount of water a lawn sprinkler uses varies widely based on how much you’re using the sprinkler, and that can also differ based on the time of year or even a change in the weather. Water usage can even vary based on the types of sprinkler heads you have. On average, a single sprinkler head can use about 1 to 5 gallons of water per minute. You can also calculate just how much water your sprinkler uses month to month with just a little math.

Calculating Sprinkler Water Usage

If you want to know how much water a sprinkler uses, you’ll want to break it down by sprinkler zone and/or sprinkler head. If you only have one sprinkler zone, you can estimate usage by about 1 to 5 gallons of water per sprinkler head, per minute. If you have 10 sprinklers that operate for a total of 3 hours a week, they use about 1,800 gallons to 9,000 gallons of water per week.

If you have multiple zones, you can estimate about 15 gallons of water per zone, per minute. Multiply the number of zones you have by 15, then by how many minutes the system runs per week (this may be around 60 to 180 minutes total, or 1 to 3 hours per week). For instance, if you have three zones that run a total of 3 hours per week, you can estimate your sprinkler usage at around 8,100 gallons per week.

Of course, you’ll want to check your water bill to determine your exact monthly usage. If you feel like your sprinkler system is using too much water, consult with a sprinkler specialist to help make your system more efficient. Otherwise, you can overwater and damage your lawn, not to mention you may be paying much higher utility bills than you should.

Sprinkler System and Water Costs

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Sprinkler system installation costs about $1,670 to $3,550 total, but you may see costs based on the square footage of your lawn—about $0.20 to $1 per square foot—or by zone. If you set up different watering zones around your lawn, it typically costs about $500 to $1,000 for the first zone, plus around $1,000 for each additional zone.

Then, of course, you’ll need to pay for the water. If you don’t have an irrigation meter, you’ll pay a fee for the water and then sewage rates for the water your sprinkler system uses. These rates vary based on municipal laws, but you can expect about $2 to $10 for water fees per 1,000 gallons of water and around $4 to $20 per 1,000 gallons of water in sewer fees. 

An irrigation meter costs about $300 to $600, plus a flat monthly fee, but these costs will vary based on your local laws. But over time, you can save more money with the irrigation meter, as it can save you on monthly sewer fees for the water you use for irrigation.

Sprinkler System Installation

Sprinklers can help provide the right amount of water to your lawn, and they don’t have to use up a lot of water. Whether you opt for a DIY sprinkler system or work with a professional sprinkler installation company near you, you can install a sprinkler system that is water-wise.

Keep in mind that learning how to install a sprinkler system, especially one with underground pipes, can be challenging and time-consuming. However, it’s often easier to control the water being used in a full sprinkler system than with a hose-end sprinkler, which attaches to the hose bib, or outdoor faucet, outside the home.

Ways to Save Water With a Sprinkler System

With your sprinkler system installed, you’ll start seeing how much water a sprinkler uses. If your water bill is higher than you’d like, or you notice too much water running off of your lawn after your sprinklers run, there are several ways you can save water, from day-to-day to seasonal savings.

Set the Timer Wisely

Sprinkler systems come with a controller that allows you to program the system to run on a timer. But before you “set it and forget it,” there are some best practices to keep in mind when programming the timer if you want to save water.

First, set the timer to water in the mornings, usually before 10 a.m. This minimizes evaporation that can happen when you water the lawn during hotter parts of the day. While watering in the late evening can also minimize evaporation, the air may not be warm enough overnight to allow any excess dew drops to dry. This extra water sitting on your grass and other plants overnight can lead to disease.

Another way to reduce how much water a sprinkler uses is to set it for shorter, 15-minute bursts at a time, rather than one longer session. That way, the water has time to soak into the ground between waterings. Try setting the timer for small intervals throughout the morning to save the most water.

Aerate the Lawn

Learning how to aerate a lawn is fairly simple, and this process involves creating small holes around the lawn to allow air to reach the soil. Aeration also helps loosen compact soil underground, allowing water to better soak into the ground. To quickly aerate a lawn, you can use an aeration tool or grab a pitchfork you already have lying around in the garden shed.

Of course, for best results, you can hire a pro to help with aeration. Lawn aeration costs about $75 to $210, with the cost depending on the size of your lawn, the type of soil you have, and even the method of aeration you choose. Because of the cost of buying or renting the machinery to aerate a lawn, DIYing may cost more than hiring a pro.

Establish Zones

You can set up zones with a sprinkler system. Doing so allows you to water certain parts of your property more or less based on how you set up the zones. This works thanks to the control valves, which are parts of the sprinkler system that allow or stop water from passing through to the sprinkler heads. Each zone is connected to a different sprinkler head, so you can make sure your lawn is getting more water than your flowers.

Adjust Settings by Season

If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain in the spring but very little rain and a lot of hot, dry weather in the summer, recalibrating your sprinkler system each season will give you both healthy plants and the most water savings. Minimize sprinkler use during wetter seasons, and set up the timer based on time of day and zones for drier seasons.

Pay Attention to the Weather

Avoid wasting water by keeping an eye on the weather forecast. If it looks like there will be rain, make sure to shut off your sprinkler system for the day. Otherwise, your lawn and garden may be getting too much water, and the excess could just flood your lawn or run off into the neighborhood storm drains.