Drip Irrigation & Sprinkler-to-Drip Conversion in Denver
Convert the spray heads that were built for bluegrass into drip that waters roots — the way new plantings stay alive, and legal to water, under drought rules.
- Drip for trees, shrubs, and perennials is allowed under Denver Water's lawn watering ban
- Zones split by plant need, so natives and thirstier plants aren't on one schedule
- Your existing valves, controller, and main lines reused wherever they're sound
- Pressure-compensating emitters on slopes, so the bottom of the hill doesn't get all the water
- Filter, pressure regulation, and flush points installed on every drip zone
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Tell us what you’re working with. We’ll walk the property and give you a real number.
What’s included
System test: we run every zone, find the leaks and dead heads, and map what you have.
A zone plan grouping plants by water need — trees, shrubs, perennials, and any remaining lawn apart.
Spray heads in converted zones capped or retrofitted; drip supply lines run from the existing valves.
Filter and pressure regulator at each drip zone, plus flush caps at the line ends.
Emitters sized per plant, with tree emitters placed to expand outward as the canopy grows.
Controller programmed for deep, infrequent watering — and a written schedule for establishment and after.
Drip conversions price by zone count and the condition of your existing system, so we test the system before we quote. On a new xeriscape, drip is included in the install price.
Why drip, and why now
Spray irrigation was built for lawns. It throws water into the air, where a good share of it blows away or evaporates in Denver's dry air and sun, and it wets everything — sidewalk, mulch, weeds — not just the plants.
Drip puts water at the roots, slowly, where it soaks in instead of running off. For a planted xeriscape it's the difference between a bed that thrives and one that's either drowned or starved.
In 2026 it also became the difference between legal and illegal. Denver Water ended lawn watering on October 1, 2026, until its board decides otherwise. Hand-watering and drip for trees, shrubs, and perennials are still allowed. Other providers around the metro — Englewood, Golden, and more — also carve drip for non-turf areas out of their watering schedules. Check your provider's rules on your city page.
What a conversion involves
Test first. We run every zone on your existing system, note leaks, broken heads, and pressure, and map which zone waters what. Plenty of systems have been patched for years and nobody knows where the lines go.
Zone by water need. This is where most DIY conversions go wrong. A tree, a xeric shrub, and a thirsty perennial on one drip zone will always be wrong for at least two of them. We regroup zones so each one serves plants with similar needs — and keep any remaining lawn on its own spray zone.
Keep what's sound. Valves, controller, and main lines are usually reusable. In converted zones, spray heads get capped below grade or fitted with a drip retrofit, and drip supply line runs out to the planting.
Filter and regulate. Drip emitters clog and blow apart without a filter and a pressure regulator. Every drip zone gets both, plus flush caps at the ends of the lines so sediment can be cleared.
Size emitters per plant. A one-gallon perennial and a five-gallon shrub get different emitters. Trees get emitters out at the drip line, not at the trunk — placed so they can be moved outward as the canopy grows.
Pressure-compensate on slopes. On a grade, water runs downhill inside the line. Pressure-compensating emitters put out the same flow top to bottom.
Establishment vs. the long run
A new planting needs regular water for its first one to two seasons while roots establish. After that, most natives need only occasional deep watering. We program the controller for establishment and leave you a written schedule for stepping it down — the most common drip mistake is never turning it back down.
Winter
Drip lines hold water, and water freezes. Drip zones get drained or blown out at low pressure with the rest of the system each fall. Evergreens and new plantings can still need a winter watering during long dry, warm spells — by hand, on a day above freezing.
Part of every planting we install
Every xeriscape and planting we build goes on drip. If you're keeping your current landscape and just want the irrigation fixed, we do standalone conversions too.
Common questions
- Is drip irrigation allowed during Denver Water's lawn watering ban?
- Yes. From October 1, 2026, Denver Water ended lawn watering, but hand-watering with a shutoff nozzle and low-volume, non-spray irrigation like drip remain allowed for trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and vegetables. Other providers — Englewood and Golden among them — also treat drip for non-turf areas as an exception to their schedules. Check your own provider's current rules.
- Can you convert my existing sprinkler system to drip?
- Usually, yes. The valves, controller, and main lines can often be reused. In converted zones, the spray heads get capped or fitted with a drip retrofit, and drip supply line runs out to the planting. We test the whole system first so you know what's reusable and what isn't.
- How often should drip run?
- Less often and longer than you'd think. Deep, infrequent watering pushes roots down; short daily cycles keep them shallow. During establishment, new plants need more frequent water; once established, most natives need only occasional deep watering in long dry stretches. We leave you a written schedule for both phases.
- Does drip irrigation need to be winterized in Colorado?
- Yes. Any water left in lines and fittings can freeze and crack them. Drip zones get drained or blown out at low pressure along with the rest of the system in fall, and the filter and regulator should be checked each spring.
- How do trees get watered on drip?
- Trees need water across their root zone, not at the trunk. We place emitters or a ring of inline drip out toward the drip line, and that ring needs to move outward as the tree grows. A single emitter at the base of an established tree isn't enough.
- Is drip better than hand-watering?
- For anything beyond a few plants, yes. Drip delivers the same amount to each plant every time, runs at night when evaporation is low, and doesn't depend on you remembering. Hand-watering is a good backup and is allowed under most restrictions, but it's hard to do consistently across a whole yard.
Read more
Drip vs. sprinkler irrigation: what's best for a Denver xeriscape
Drip irrigation vs. spray sprinklers for Denver yards — compare water use, cost, and which system works best for xeriscape and native plants.
Denver's October 2026 lawn watering ban
Denver Water ended lawn watering Oct. 1, 2026, and the ban runs into spring 2027. What's banned, what's still allowed, and why your trees are the real risk.
Colorado's 2026 drought and Denver water restrictions
Denver Water's current drought rules: Stage 1 through April 2027. From Oct. 1, no lawn watering or spray irrigation — drip and hand-watering still allowed.
Seasonal xeriscape maintenance
Xeriscapes are low-maintenance, not zero-maintenance. Here is the complete seasonal care guide for Denver xeriscape owners: spring drip checks, summer.
Where we work
We’re Denver-based and work across the metro. Water rules and rebates depend on your provider — each city page covers yours.
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We design and build water-wise landscapes across the Denver metro. Free walkthrough, honest scope, no pressure.