If you’re like most homeowners in West Houston and Katy’s premium neighborhoods, you’re probably spending $150 to $300 per month on irrigation during the summer. What if I told you that more than half of that water never reaches the parts of your lawn that actually need it?
We recently completed a distribution uniformity study on a typical spray zone in our area, and the results were eye-opening—even for someone who’s been fixing sprinkler systems for years.
What We Tested
We selected a single zone with 13 spray heads covering a front lawn area. This wasn’t some neglected disaster of a system—it was a fairly typical setup you’d find in most homes: 4-inch pop-up spray heads with a mix of standard nozzles that had been installed by the original builder or landscape company.
To measure actual performance, we placed 24 catch cups throughout the coverage area and ran the zone for exactly five minutes while recording water meter readings. This allowed us to measure both total water consumption and, more importantly, how evenly that water was being distributed across the landscape.
The Problem with “Good Enough”
The baseline test revealed a distribution uniformity score of just 0.30. For context, anything below 0.60 is considered poor, and most irrigation professionals aim for 0.65 or higher.
Here’s what that 0.30 actually means in dollars: During that five-minute test, the zone used 86 gallons of water. But because the distribution was so uneven, only about 26 gallons effectively reached the driest areas of the lawn—the spots that actually needed water the most. The other 60 gallons either over-watered areas that didn’t need it or fell on hardscape, evaporated, or ran off.
Scale that up over a typical 15-minute watering cycle, three times per week, and you’re looking at hundreds of gallons wasted every single week. At Houston water rates, that adds up to roughly $50 to $100 per month disappearing into thin air.
The Fix Was Simpler Than Expected
We made two changes. First, we replaced the existing nozzles with Toro Precision Spray Nozzles—a technology that’s been available for years but rarely gets installed in residential systems unless someone specifically requests it.
The improvement was immediate. The same zone now used just 52.5 gallons for the same five-minute run, and distribution uniformity jumped to 0.55. That’s an 80% improvement in uniformity while cutting water consumption by 40%. Instead of 26 gallons reaching the dry spots, we were now delivering 29 gallons to those areas while using 34 fewer gallons overall.
Then we took it one step further. We raised the spray head height from 4 inches to 6 inches. This seems like a minor detail, but in North Houston where St. Augustine and Bermuda grass can grow thick and tall, those extra two inches allow the spray pattern to clear the turf canopy without obstruction.
The result? Distribution uniformity improved to 0.64—more than double the original performance. Water usage held steady at just under 51 gallons, still 40% below baseline. Now, 33 of those 51 gallons were reaching the driest areas, compared to just 26 out of 86 gallons in the original configuration.
What This Means for Your Property
If your irrigation system was installed more than five years ago, there’s a strong chance you’re operating with similar inefficiencies. The technology has improved significantly in that time, but most systems are running the same nozzles that came with the house.
The financial case is straightforward. A typical front yard zone running three times per week for 15 minutes would see water savings of approximately 1,000 gallons per week with these upgrades. Multiply that across six or eight zones, and you’re looking at annual savings of $600 to $1,200, depending on your current usage, local rates, and rainfall adjustments.
But the bigger benefit isn’t just the lower water bill—it’s what happens to your landscape. Better distribution uniformity means fewer dry patches that turn brown in summer, fewer areas that stay soggy and develop fungus, and less need for constant adjustments to try to get coverage right. Your grass gets exactly what it needs, where it needs it, without the waste.
Why Most Systems Don’t Get Fixed
The irony is that most homeowners have no idea their system is performing poorly until something breaks completely. A zone that’s “working” gets ignored, even if it’s dumping 40% more water than necessary and creating uneven coverage that damages your landscape investment over time.
Previous owners rarely upgrade nozzles before selling—why would they spend money on something invisible? Builders install whatever meets minimum code requirements. And most irrigation companies only show up when there’s an obvious leak or broken head, not to evaluate system efficiency.
This is exactly why we recommend a comprehensive evaluation for new homeowners within the first 90 days. At our typical customer's home, the landscaping typically represents a $30,000 to $80,000 investment. Knowing whether your irrigation system is protecting that investment or slowly undermining it seems like pretty valuable information.
The Takeaway
Modern spray nozzle technology works. The data proves it. A relatively simple upgrade can cut your water consumption by 40% while actually improving coverage and eliminating those frustrating dry spots that never seem to get enough water, no matter how long you run the system.
If you’re curious about how your own system would perform under the same kind of testing, we’re happy to run a zone evaluation at your property.
The study doesn’t lie: better technology, better results, lower bills. It’s that simple. Want to see if your irrigation system is wasting water? Call us at 832-706-2688 to schedule a system evaluation.