Are sprinklers a waste of water? The truth is that sprinkler irrigation systems are not as efficient at water conservation as they may first appear. The typical water consumption for a residential sprinkler system ranges from 12 to 30 gallons per minute, depending on the sprinkler head’s size and type. Operating the sprinkler for 30 minutes a day, 15 days a month, can lead to a consumption of up to 450 gallons per month.
Inadequate water pressure and strong winds can cause significant water loss due to drift or evaporation.
Rate Type
Understanding your monthly water bill is the first step to determining the costs of watering your lawn. The bill measures your water usage using various standard units of consumption, the most common being centum cubic feet (CCF) and gallons, where 1 CCF equals 748 gallons.
The local water utility employs a range of rate structures to bill its customers, including:
- Uniform Rate structure: Charges a constant per-unit price for all metered units of water consumed throughout the year.
- Increasing Block Rates: Charges higher unit rates for each succeeding block of usage than the previous block(s).
- Seasonal Rates: Established to promote conservation during peak usage periods and cover a specific time frame.
- Drought Rates: Similar to Seasonal Rates, these rates depend on the level of drought in the local area, rather than applying higher rates throughout a particular period.
All these rate structures can substantially increase water bills if you regularly water your lawn.
