Spruce up your sprinkler system and your landscape by following four simple steps.  Keep your landscape WaterWise all season!

Spring is here —are your sprinklers ready? Spruce up your sprinkler system now to maximize performance while minimizing water waste this summer.

It doesn’t take much to prepare your sprinkler system for efficient warm weather watering. Sprucing up is simple with these four steps:

1. INSPECT.
   Check your system for clogged, broken or missing sprinkler heads. If you aren’t sure what to look for, go with a pro - look for an irrigation professional certified by a WaterSense labeled program to audit your system for leaks.
    
2. CONNECT.
   Examine points where the sprinkler heads connect to pipes or hoses. If water pools in your yard or you have large wet areas, you could have a leak in your system. Did you know that a leak as small as the tip of a ballpoint pen (about 1/32 of an inch) can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month?
   
   Get notified of possible leaks and check for spikes in your water use through the City of Bend customer portal at bendoregon.gov/watersmart.
    
3. DIRECT.
   Direct your sprinklers toward the landscaping and avoid spraying sidewalks and driveways. Are you watering the driveway, house, or sidewalk instead of your yard? Eliminate waste and redirect sprinklers to apply water only to the grassy or planted areas. 
   
   
4. SELECT.
   Select the best seasonal schedule. An improperly scheduled irrigation controller can waste water and money. Update your system’s watering schedule to match increasing and decreasing plant water needs with the seasons using your Seasonal Adjust % feature. (If you are setting up your system for the first time, visit Bend's outdoor watering schedule for days and hours.)
   
   Once your system is working efficiently, take the guesswork out of scheduling by installing a WaterSense-labeled controller. Get a $100 rebate from the City of Bend for installing a Smart Irrigation controller, see our Rebate page.  

When it comes to a home's irrigation system, a little maintenance goes a long way. Your landscape and your wallet will thank you. Visit the WaterWise Guides and WaterWise Irrigation pages to learn more about getting your sprinkler system in shape for the season.

Click here to download FIND IT, FLAG IT, FIX IT - A checklist for your landscape.