High efficiency nozzles deliver more water to the grass, rather than misting and evaporating over it.
(Photo by Elenee Dao /Cronkite News)
As a groundskeeper for a housing community in Phoenix, Terry Peterson has changed about 800 sprinkler heads to high efficiency water nozzles. Now he’s taking action at home.
“People would want to switch over to these nozzles – like I’m going to – to save money and be more water-wise,” Peterson said.
High efficiency nozzles deliver more water to the grass, rather than misting and evaporating over it.
“When converting an older water system to a high efficiency system, they can save up to 30 maybe even 40 percent just on the heads alone,” said Richard Bond, an exterior landscape specialist for Tempe.
In addition, installing a water pressure regulator improves the efficiency. Doug Donahue, an account manager from Ewing Irrigation, has worked with Peterson at the Phoenix housing community where all the heads are being switched out. He says an added pressure regulator along with the new nozzles helped reduce the water bill in one area by 41%.
“When you operate a spray head at that high pressure, you get real small water droplets that are susceptible to evaporation and drifting away,” he said. “So you’re not watering efficiently.”
Each nozzle ranges from a dollar to about $8. A pressure regulator for a typical home runs about $80.
Peterson still has about 1,000 nozzles to convert for Phoenix.
“It’s part of my job, but to see the end result, it’s well worth it,” he said.