Quick answer: Yes. Irrigation leaks and control problems can increase water use, especially when they occur repeatedly during automatic watering or allow water to pass when the system should be off. The size of the increase depends on the type of leak and how often it occurs.
Visible leaks are not the only source of waste
A broken sprinkler body may be obvious, but underground pipe leaks, valve seepage and stuck-open zones can lose water without producing a dramatic surface spray.
Controller problems can also increase usage
Multiple start times, unnecessary watering days and schedules that ignore rainfall can raise irrigation use even when the piping is intact.
Signs worth investigating
- Unexpectedly wet areas
- Water flowing when irrigation should be off
- Weak pressure on one zone
- Repeated runoff
- Controller running more often than expected
See how to find an underground sprinkler leak, why sprinklers leak while off, and signs of overwatering.
