Water-Efficient Sprinkler Nozzles

Make the Switch to Water-Efficient Sprinkler Nozzles to Keep Water in Your Yard, Out of the Street

Water from sprinkler heads is often lost before reaching the intended grass and plants in a number of ways which include, but are not limited to; wind, evaporation from the sun, run off, misting and over-spray. Using pop-up sprinkler spray heads with new water-efficient nozzles can save more than 6,600 gallons of water per nozzle over a 5-year period. Water-efficient sprinkler nozzles apply water more evenly than conventional spray nozzles, thus saving water and reducing the amount of run-off.

High efficiency nozzles deliver bigger droplets. The extra weight helps prevent those droplets from being carried off course by hot summer breezes. According to manufacturers, the high efficiency nozzles land about 85 percent of the water on the desired area as compared to an estimated 50% from old nozzles on a windy day.

Each of the major irrigation system manufacturers (Hunter, Toro and Rain Bird) offers high efficiency models. They’re a bit more expensive at approximately $5 per nozzle as opposed to about $1 for an older model, but the added efficiency would translate to cash savings on your water bill, along with more actual irrigation for the money and water spent.

Spray nozzles are available in a wide array of spacings and distances, from 4 feet up to 15 feet. These nozzles are designed to work with nearly all manufacturers’ spray bodies, making them one of the most sought-after retrofit tools in the irrigation industry today. “Precision Spray nozzles have revolutionized the watering of outdoor landscapes similar to the way low-flow toilets, shower heads and CFL light bulbs have made the inside of homes more efficient,” said Jeff Miller, marketing manager for Toro’s Residential and Commercial Irrigation Business.