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Irrigation controller mismanagement and poor scheduling represent massive sources of water waste that have nothing to do with equipment failure. Research shows 30-60% of irrigation water is wasted, and inappropriate schedules account for a significant portion of that waste. Systems keep running on summer schedules well into fall. Controllers allow irrigation during rainstorms. Residents set […]
Water conservation programs invest heavily in rebates and technology. But when homeowners don’t understand their irrigation systems—and when the professionals installing them don’t either—those investments fail. Homeowners struggle with controllers. The technical complexity exceeds most homeowners’ capacity to learn and maintain efficient practices. We spoke with experts to understand why the education barrier is so […]
You can provide education and rebates all day long. But if irrigation systems can’t distribute water evenly, you’re subsidizing waste. A University of Florida study found that most residential systems score between 40-60% Distribution Uniformity (DU); at 50% DU, the wettest areas get twice as much water as the driest spots. We spoke with water […]
Water-wise landscaping concepts have undergone remarkable growth over the past two decades, reflecting shifting public priorities around sustainability, technology, and climate adaptation. By analyzing Google Trends data and state-by-state patterns, a new report from The Valve by Healthy Green Spaces Coalition (HGSC) shows how smart irrigation is gaining ground as a leading water‑saving solution, while […]
Durham didn’t build a new water plant—it knocked on doors, handed out rain gauges, and cut peak water use by nearly a third. The Durham Region in Ontario, Canada, had a math problem. The population was growing at 3% annually with water consumption growing at 6% annually. Using a Community-Based Social Marketing approach, the program removed […]
How simple communication grounded in behavioral science can save massive amounts of water – quickly, cheaply, and easily. A few years ago, SW Florida ran a water-saving campaign called “Skip a week.” It might seem like a simple message – and it is – but the goal was to save a lot of […]
A new report by Healthy Green Spaces Coalition estimated each U.S. state’s drought resilience. The data shows how vulnerable states are to droughts based on their residential and total water usage (including agricultural). The ranking is calculated based on per-capita domestic usage, per-capita total withdrawals (i.e., total gallons of water used per day in the […]
This article is a collaborative effort by Steve Whitesell and Kevin Rowe. You’ve rolled out rebates, mailed conservation tips, and launched outreach campaigns—but residents still overwater lawns or ignore leaks. Why? Because knowing what to do isn’t the same as doing it. Traditional awareness efforts often fall short when everyday habits, social norms, or small […]
Editorial Director: Steve Whitesell Expert Author: Dr. Kelly Kopp You don’t need new tech or turf removal to save water—just fix what’s already there. Studies show that 30–60% of irrigation water is wasted due to leaks, misaligned heads, and poor scheduling. That means most sprinkler systems are silently leaking thousands of gallons—and dollars—each season. Hidden […]
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