By Justin Walker
Communications Specialist
Repairing and maintaining irrigation systems could save home and business owners time and money, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
“A lot of water-saving advice focuses on the indoors, but we know more water, especially in warmer months, can be saved by maintaining irrigation systems outside,” Patrick Dickson, a water conservation horticulturist with Texas A&M AgriLife’s urban water program, Water University, said.
Dickson said this message is stressed during the ongoing Fix a Leak Week March 19-25. It’s a national campaign launched by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the agency’s WaterSense initiative, which encourages people to address leaks within their homes and businesses.
According to EPA, household leaks account for 1 trillion gallons of potable water waste each year.
“We also know that in the warmer months, as much as 60 percent of all drinkable water used by a household is spent outside on lawns and landscapes,” Dickinson said. “So it’s critical to make sure those systems are free from leaks and running as efficiently as possible.”
Dickinson said owners can inspect lawns for wet spots during dry weather. These usually represent a sign of a leak.
“Look for water bubbling up from the ground or pooling and running over concrete,” he said. “Repair underground leaks by simply turning off your irrigation system controller, digging around the leaking section of pipe, cutting out the punctured section and joining the remaining ends with a cheap compression coupling from any hardware store.”
Dickinson said owners should ensure irrigation pipes and connections stay sealed and tightened.
“It’s not hard to keep an irrigation system running efficiently,” he said. “But it does require a little time and attention. Luckily we have a whole week dedicated to just that.”
Tips for efficient irrigation and repairing and maintaining irrigation systems can be found on the Water University website under the irrigation tab.
An instructional video on sprinkler system repairs featuring Dickinson can be found here.