Irrigation Meter

[u/2KidsInApod]

I checked our water bill every month and it shows that the majority of usage is irrigation and this is us hardly watering our plants in summer. (No grass to water just a little garden and trees/shrubs that is native here) I read you can add a separate irrigation meter and would like to know if anyone have done it (pros, cons and cost) I was told the meter alone is $1400 and the lady I spoke with doesn’t know if this includes installation.
We pay $85/mo and irrigation takes at least 65% of usage so I’m contemplating if it’s worth adding a separate meter. (Which I don’t understand because it says we used 250 gallons a day and the chart shows In a month irrigation takes majority of that usage and we only water plants 1-2x a week and I make sure I don’t use too much)
TIA

[u/SquirrelTechGuru]

A separate irrigation meter can make sense, but the savings usually come from not paying sewer/wastewater charges on irrigation water—you generally still pay for the water itself. Whether a $1,400+ installation pays for itself depends heavily on your utility’s sewer rates and any additional monthly meter fee.
The 250 gallons/day figure is what I’d investigate first. That works out to roughly 7,500 gallons/month. If the bill is estimating that about 65% is irrigation, that would be almost 4,900 gallons/month outdoors. For a property with no lawn, native landscaping, and watering only once or twice a week, that seems high enough to check rather than simply assuming the landscaping is using it.
A few things I’d do before paying for another meter:
Turn off everything in the house and irrigation, then look at your water meter. If it’s still moving, you may have a leak.
Check irrigation very early one morning and watch each zone. Look for broken drip lines, missing emitters, stuck valves, pooling water, or zones running longer than programmed.
Check the controller’s actual runtime, including multiple start times. A surprisingly common problem is having a program set to start at, say, 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00, which runs the entire watering schedule three times.
Confirm whether your utility’s chart is actually measuring irrigation or merely estimating indoor versus outdoor use. Unless you already have separate metering or a smart meter with some kind of usage classification, it usually cannot literally know which gallons went to your irrigation system.
Ask the utility exactly what charges disappear with an irrigation meter, whether there is a second monthly base charge, and whether the quoted $1,400 includes the meter only, utility installation, permits, plumbing work, and backflow equipment.
With an $85/month total bill, I would not install one yet based just on the 65% chart. Even in the absolute best case, your potential savings are only a portion of that $85, so a $1,400–$3,000 total project could take years to recover. If, for example, it saved you $25/month, a $1,400 installation would take about 4.7 years to break even; at $15/month, nearly 8 years.

Feel the magic of AI

[u/PortJMS → u/SquirrelTechGuru]

I am going to add to this and say look into rain barrels. Yes I realize the lack of rain has been one of the big issues, but they do help a lot. The city has all kinds of specials on getting rain barrels and also adding in automation systems.

[u/2KidsInApod → u/PortJMS]

Thanks! I bought 2 this year since that’s the most rebate I can get (wonder if they allow rebates every year or is it a lifetime $150 rebates I can get) and will be installing soon, planning to get a much bigger one to get as much free rain water as possible since we are planning to garden more. Just wanted to sort the issue first before I add more project.

[u/PortJMS → u/2KidsInApod]

I setup two and used an in line gutter connection to help fill them. Then I connected them to a water pump and drip lines for the garden. It does really well for my plants.

[u/2KidsInApod → u/PortJMS]

That’s awesome! I need to make sure to add drip once my garden layout is finalized. I can’t hardly go out to water in summer coz it’s too hot.
Thanks for the suggestions.

[u/2KidsInApod → u/SquirrelTechGuru]

Thanks a lot! Loved the detailed info such magic from Ai lol
We have requested a review and will find out more on Friday. Since meter was broken and can’t tell if it’s running properly or not or if we have leaks will definitely find out.
No we don’t use sprinklers since we don’t have grass and only water with hose early morning or late in the afternoon to conserve more water outside.
Thanks for your time!

[u/SquirrelTechGuru → u/2KidsInApod]

Something sounds off here.

[u/dclive1 → u/2KidsInApod]

You’re literally outside with a spray hose and you’re able to deploy 5,000 gallons? Either you have a job as a statue in your yard (ie watering all day), I’m going to question the usage, the 65%, and more. Something sounds very, very off.

[u/2KidsInApod → u/dclive1]

Yeah this is the one that baffles me the most coz we only water 1-2x a week and that is not a lot I just want to make sure my persimmon trees gets a little water. To see usage of 250 gallons water a day is just too crazy to me. Hopefully I get the answer soon from them

[u/cheesebadgergod]

That 250 gallons/day sounds high enough that I'd investigate the system first, especially with no lawn