Shocking irrigation water bill
 

We just moved to TV about 7 weeks ago. We are not at all familiar with irrigation systems or proper watering/timer settings. We had an "expert" from Superior Services come and check the system and to set the zones up with proper settings. He also bypassed the rain sensor. I suspect his setup was way overkill as we also received a letter from CSU noting the high irrigation water usage this last month.

Can someone suggest ballpark settings for frequency and minutes during summer months for Zoysia grass zones and shrubbery zones?

Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.

I get these letters all the time. They are false. Ignore it. But to be safe, don't bypass your sensor.

Why would they bypass the rain sensor? it’s best to read the manual and set the irrigation times up yourself and manually shut if off when it rains. If you’re snow bird you will have to try several irrigation experts to get the way you want it. There big difference in recycled irrigation water and city water price. Another thing you may have leak? I doubt the irrigation system should run more that three times in 9 days. If it’s running everyday and water ruining down the street for hour then that’s you're problem, You’re wasting water runoff when it runs down the street for half hour or more IMO. When my irrigation system runs no water runoff.

Do have an interior, corner or pie shaped lot? Do you have a designer home?

With knowing nothing about your lot size or how green you want your lawn the average May water consumption is about 14,000 gallons. This is based upon over 40 irrigation years looked at of public records on water usage in TV.

Asking a 'irigation expert' is like asking how often should I change my oil. It is a meaningless opinion.

What I would do is install a Rachio irrigation controller less than 200.00 on Amazon. You punch in lawn type, soil type, slope. It calculates evaporation rate, checks with the weather service if it will rain, if it has rained, total irrigation for that zone including rain, checks if it is saturated. It changes the time based upon season. As a computer it doesn't have an opinion, just the facts to work with.

We set each zone (grass or shrubs) for 20 minutes, once per week, and turn off manually if it has rained the day before irrigation.

Our monthly usage (inside and out) is 3-4,000 gallons.

Congratulations, that's great. From the data I have analyzed less than 50k gallons annually for an interior designer lot (5,200 sq ft) is quite rare.

The average potable water is very close to 3100 gallons for an occupied month for a couple.

I have figured out how to cut potable water but not irrigation. Across the board, 8900 to 5,100 sq ft lots, uber green lawns to brown lawns the average is 133,000 gallons annually. But usage varies wildly from 40k to 280k annually.

All rotor nozzles are different GMP (gallon per minute) and interchangeable. No times will be the same for all homes or even each zone.
A corner rotor that only turns 90deg can have a less GPM nozzle than one that turns 180deg.
To find the optimal time for each zone, place 5-6 shallow cans (tuna size) spread out around the zone.
They should collect 1/2"-3/4" water each watering.
If you take the steps to fine tune your system you can save water.
Note most irrigation companies won't do this, and just leave in whatever GMP nozzle comes with the rotor.
Lots of info online about tuning a system.
This place has all the parts you need:
Sprinkler Warehouse

During the rainy season I would turn off the sprinklers and only turn them on when you go for a few days with no rain.
My rain sensor turns the system back on too soon - a few hours - after a rain so it does not do any good to use it.
For the first few years of a new lawn you need to water deep so the roots go down into the soil. After a few years you can cut back on the water.
Go on line and look up your instruction manual.
How many zones, how long do you have then set to run, how many days, how much water do you use?
Also turn your system on and check each head to see that they are working correctly. I have to fix one about once a year or a little more offen.
The run time for a zone depends on the type of sprinkler head you have. If they are new you probably need 90 minutes on a new lawn. What you are trying to do is to put down about an inch or inch and 1/2 of water slowly. Not sure about the inches, seems high as I write this so maybe some one else can comment. You can put out some cans to catch the water and measure how much water you are using. I think the Central Florida University is a good site to check on landscaping and I think they have free help.

Irrigation
 

There are many kinds of sprinkler heads and heights. You may be in a home with what I would call "Standard Villages Irrigation" which frankly may or may not be the most efficient for your lot. I suggest you contact a number of reputable irrigation companies, invest the $35 "inspection fee" and see what they say. PM me if you would like and I'll tell you which one we have used successfully.

OP here, to answer a few questions, we have a corner lot but not large, maybe 8,000 sq ft., with a designer home approx. 2000 sq. ft. Last statement said we used 40,000 gallons. No water running down street and no apparent leaks that I can see. System was checked and all heads function properly and are aimed correctly. System set up to water 3 days per week. I am thinking cut back watering to twice per week. I have already turned the water sensor back on.

if any one has watered using irrigation in the last week (Today is 6/13) , you have over watered. 3 times this week is 3 times too much.

General rule of thumb (you can then adjust) twice a week for 30 minutes each zone.

Be sure you don't have multiple programs running (A, B, etc.). That is usually the issue when friends ask me why they are using so much water. A zone runs when they think, and the other ones are usually running at night when they don't see them.

The text on controllers is usually so small that it is easy to miss a "dot" by one of the other programs.

Even a reset (with removal of battery) failed to cancel all of mine, so I had to do it manually.

Based upon my research for a corner lot, you can cut this to 24,000 gallons for the hottest months. Could go lower if you can tolerate some heat stressed lawn.

Please note, that if your system has a "solar sync" sensor on your roof, you cannot set permanent specific watering times for your sprinkler heads. You can set watering times, and set the "seasonal adjustment" on 100 percent. But, then the "solar sync" sensor will take control of your system and automatically increase or decrease your watering times by changing the "seasonal adjustment" setting, based on climate conditions. This is very complicated, and the only way to really understand the system is to go on line and download the Hunter controller manual for your specific model. For example, if the solar sync sensor adjusts the seasonal adjustment setting to 50 percent, your watering times will be reduced to half the time that you set them for. I have found that many of the so called sprinkler experts, who adjust the systems, do not understand how these Hunter controllers really function.