Irrigation Services in Highlands Ranch, CO

Highlands Ranch Water Rules & What They Mean for Your Irrigation Bill

Highlands Ranch Water, operated by Centennial Water and Sanitation District, manages water and wastewater services for the community. As of 2026, the district has enacted Stage 1 drought restrictions, limiting outdoor irrigation to two days per week with a goal of reducing overall customer water use by 15 to 20 percent. No outdoor watering is permitted between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. from May 1 through September 30, 2026.

The district uses a tiered rate structure tied to individualized water budgets. Customers who stay within their budget pay the base rate; those who exceed it move into higher billing tiers at greater per-gallon cost. Douglas County has prioritized water conservation since 2000 and holds state and national recognition for stormwater management. During a drought-restriction year, an efficient, properly programmed irrigation system is a practical tool Highlands Ranch homeowners can use to stay within their budget and avoid upper-tier billing charges.

Common Irrigation Problems We Diagnose in Highlands Ranch

Colorado’s dry air, shifting soils, and annual freeze cycles gradually wear down underground irrigation components. Many problems develop slowly and become visible only when dry patches, soggy turf, or unexpectedly high water bills appear. Our technicians regularly diagnose and resolve:

• Underground line leaks: wasting water invisibly before it reaches the surface
• Damaged sprinkler heads: broken or worn heads that disrupt coverage
• Improper spray direction: nozzles watering pavement instead of plant material
• Inactive irrigation zones: zones that fail to run, leaving areas underwatered
• Uneven water coverage: dry patches and wet spots indicating distribution problems
• Aging control systems: outdated timers that can’t adapt to seasonal conditions

Our Free Sprinkler System Inspection documents all of these issues in a complete assessment, so you know exactly what’s wrong and what each repair will cost before any work begins.

Smart Irrigation Controllers for Highlands Ranch Properties

Step 4 of our 5 Step Process is often where homeowners see the biggest efficiency gains. Replacing an outdated timer with an intelligent controller changes how your system responds to the world around it. Our Hunter Hydrawise Controller adjusts watering duration and frequency based on real-time weather data, so your system doesn’t run after a rain event or during Colorado’s cool, low-evaporation spring mornings. Soil moisture sensors add another layer of precision, preventing irrigation from running when the ground already has adequate moisture. Through our Toro and Hunter partnerships, we install and service the current generation of smart irrigation technology. This gives Highlands Ranch customers a system that can reduce water usage by up to 60% (typical savings between 40% and 60%; results not guaranteed) while keeping watering schedules automatically aligned with district-assigned watering days.

Residential Irrigation Services in Highlands Ranch

We serve Highlands Ranch homeowners with every phase of irrigation care. Properties here span decades of development, from original 1980s and 1990s neighborhoods with aging underground infrastructure to newer builds with modern systems, and both require knowledgeable service. Residential services include Free Sprinkler System Inspection, Irrigation Repair, Irrigation Installation, Drip Irrigation, Summerization, Winterization, Mid-Season Inspection, and Drainage Solutions.

HRCA landscape appearance standards apply throughout Highlands Ranch master-planned communities, making a properly functioning irrigation system as important for HOA compliance as it is for water efficiency. Our free inspection is designed specifically for first-time residential customers who want to understand their system’s condition before committing to any service.

Commercial Irrigation Services in Highlands Ranch

Office parks, retail centers, and mixed-use developments throughout Highlands Ranch maintain irrigated landscaping as part of tenant and community expectations. We serve commercial property owners and managers with the same conservation-focused approach we apply to residential work. Large commercial systems require flow monitoring, multi-zone management, and scheduling built around greater irrigated acreage. Commercial customers navigating Stage 1 restrictions face the same 15 to 20 percent water use reduction requirement as residential accounts; an efficiently managed irrigation system can support that effort.

Drip Irrigation in Highlands Ranch

Conventional spray heads lose water to overspray, wind drift, and evaporation before it ever reaches a plant’s root zone. Drip Irrigation eliminates those losses by delivering water directly at the root level. This makes it the right choice for planting beds, shrubs, trees, and xeric landscaping that don’t need the same volume of water as turf areas. For properties operating under tiered billing and drought restrictions, a Drip Irrigation zone can meaningfully reduce total outdoor water consumption compared to conventional spray coverage for the same area. We design and install Drip Irrigation systems that integrate with your existing controller and watering schedule.

Drainage Solutions in Highlands Ranch

An irrigation system that distributes water unevenly doesn’t just waste water. It creates secondary problems: pooling in low-lying areas, soggy turf, and soil erosion that can reach structures or hardscape over time. Our Drainage Solutions address water movement and absorption across your property, correcting grade and drainage issues that develop alongside irrigation inefficiency. Resolving drainage as part of an irrigation improvement project helps water reaching the landscape absorb into the root zone rather than running off or pooling where it causes harm.

Backflow Testing in Highlands Ranch

Backflow prevention devices protect the public water supply from contamination that can occur when pressure reversals pull irrigation water back into the supply line. Water districts in Colorado, including those serving Highlands Ranch, require backflow preventers on irrigation connections and mandate annual testing and certification. We provide Backflow Testing to keep your irrigation system in compliance with district requirements and avoid non-compliance notices. If testing reveals a device that needs repair or replacement, we can handle that during the same service visit.