Residential outdoor water use for lawns and landscapes accounts for a significant component of public water supply. In western U.S. cities, outdoor water use may represent 50 percent or more of total residential water use. Some estimates indicate that up to half of outdoor water use may be wasted because of irrigation system leaks, inefficient system design, improper irrigation operation, and overwatering. Supply and scarcity concerns have prompted water utilities to adopt conservation strategies targeted at reducing residential landscape water use. These include educational programs, mandated watering schedules, incentives to install smart irrigation controllers, and restricting residential lawn sizes to turf removal. A number of studies using questionnaires and surveys seek to measure educational campaign efficacy based on homeowner intentions. In contrast, this study examines the impact of an educational intervention by measuring changes in homeowner monthly and yearly water use. Since 2015, College Station, Texas, provided weekly lawn watering recommendations to over 900 households. Preliminary results indicate that irrigation efficiency improved for up to two years post-intervention. Compared to their landscape water budget residents substantially reduced overwatering. Targeted education programs with homeowner-specific recommendations can reduce outdoor water waste and promote water conservation through efficient use.
