18 marzo 2026 · 8 min read
Five ways to cut irrigation water use by up to 40%
Practical actions to reduce residential irrigation consumption: scheduling, sensors, ET-based control, mulching and hydrozones.
Watering schedule matters
Watering at dawn reduces evaporation compared with midday runs and improves irrigation efficiency immediately.
Use rain and soil-moisture sensors
Sensors stop unnecessary runs after rain or when soil is still wet, reducing avoidable water waste.
ET-based controllers
Smart controllers can adapt run times to weather-driven evapotranspiration instead of fixed schedules.
Mulch to reduce surface evaporation
A mulch layer helps retain soil moisture, lowers peak temperatures and reduces irrigation frequency for beds.
Hydrozone design
Grouping plants with similar water needs into separate zones avoids overwatering drought-tolerant plants.