How much water can an irrigation leak waste?

EPA WaterSense estimates a malfunctioning irrigation system can lose up to 25,000 gallons over a six-month irrigation season. A meter reading taken with all indoor fixtures off, first with the irrigation supply open and then with it closed, shows whether the loss is on the irrigation side of the property.

Should I turn off the irrigation if I find a leak?

If water is reaching a foundation, electrical equipment, a walkway or the street, close the irrigation shutoff if it is safe to do so and arrange an assessment. Note the station, the time the water appeared and whether it continues with the controller off; that record shortens the search for the break.

Irrigation Leak Detection

Trace wet spots and pressure changes to the part of the system losing water.

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The wet spot is a clue, not an address

Water from a cracked irrigation pipe follows the easiest path. In Glendale soils that can mean moving sideways along a hard layer and surfacing several feet from the break, or running along the outside of the pipe to the lowest head. So a soggy patch, a sunken strip of turf or a line of greener grass tells you a leak exists, not exactly where it is.

Leak detection narrows it down by timing. Water that appears only while one zone runs points to that zone's lateral pipe or heads. Water that appears with every zone off points to the mainline or a valve that will not close. EPA WaterSense suggests watching for pooling between cycles as a sign of an underground leak.

Use the meter, then confirm the repair

The water meter is the simplest test available. With every fixture in the house off and the controller set to off, a moving meter means water is going somewhere. Shutting the irrigation supply at its own valve, if the property has one, shows whether that leak is in the yard or the house.

Once the break is found and repaired, the zone should run without a new wet spot, and the meter should sit still again with everything off. A leak that ran for weeks can show up on the bill, and a long-running leak that reaches the street can turn into a water waste complaint. For the signs to look for first, read how to spot an irrigation leak, and see the Glendale leak detection page for the local rules.

Source: US EPA WaterSense, Sprinkler Spruce-Up, Checked Oct 1, 2026