If you live in a typical single-family home, up to half of your annual water use goes to lawn watering.  Here are some suggestions for using less water while maintaining a healthy, attractive lawn:

Water the lawn only when it needs it.  Observe the grass.  If it looks a dull, grey-green color and footprints remain when you walk across it, then it's time to water.  Following heavy rain, skip watering until the grass dries out again.

Water plants with different watering needs separately.  Bluegrass lawns generally require between one and two inches of water per week, depending on the weather.  Most shrubs and trees require less water than a bluegrass lawn, so water them separately.

Water no more frequently than every third day.  This enables the grass to develop deeper roots and use moisture deep in the ground

Water early in the morning if possible, or in the evening as a second choice.  Most important, avoid the heat of the day when it's windy.

Mow grass to a height of 1-1/2 to 3 inches and leave clippings where they fall to shade the roots and keep moisture in the grass longer.

Aerate your lawn at least once a year.  This will help water penetrate into our typically clay soils.

Use low water use plants and grasses.  A wide variety of low water-using plants are available that provide seasonal colors and textures to ensure year round beauty.

Design, install and operate a sprinkler system with water-efficiency in mind.

 Wise Watering:

*  Turn on sprinklers or set timers to water between midnight and 8 a.m.
*  Water deeply and only when needed (every few days, not every day)
* Cancel a scheduled watering if a recent rainfall has occurred
* If a fertilizer has just been applied, only water the lawn lightly.

Watering prevents the grass from becoming dormant during summer's high temperatures.  Proper watering ensures a denser lawn and allows the turf to compete more effectively with weeds.  A healthy lawn will also reduce pest problems.

Watering should take place before intense sunlight causes too much water to be lost to evaporation.  Watering in the early evenings will leave the lawn damp all night, and may increase the lawns susceptibility to fungus and molds.  Deep watering encourages deep root growth.

  However, when fertilizer has just been applied it is better to water lightly to prevent the fertilizer from leaching past the root zone, where it will not be useful to the grass.