Ten things to know to save water and build a better lawn:

1. Install a rain sensor. This can save you up to 30 percent on your outdoor water use.
2. Follow the water schedule established by your utility. LCRA recommends: a twice-a-week summer watering schedule.
3. Yearly checkup: Check for needed repairs and to improve your system’s efficiency.
4. Got fresh batteries? Be sure your controller box has a fresh battery so that it can hold onto the watering schedule in the event of a power outage.
5. Look for problems. Periodically look for leaks and broken sprinkler heads.
6. Make landscaping adjustments. Prune or relocate plants that block sprinkler heads and adjust heads.
7. Can help. Place straight-edge cans or cups in each zone to find out how long it takes to generate ½ inch of water.
8. Did you know? Irrigation systems on a typical suburban lot use up to 3,000 gallons of water during one cycle. Ten times and that's enough to fill a backyard swimming pool.
9. Shoot, don't spray. If you see large amounts of fog and mist contact your irrigation firm to install a pressure regulator. Overpressurized irrigation systems can lose up to 25 percent of the water due to fogging.
10. Throttle back on new yards. When new sod is installed landscapers often set the system to run as often as twice a day. But after the lawn is established, adjust to the maintenance schedule recommended by your water utility.

More info: Download Irrigation Tips brochure (pdf).