Starting at about $35, programmable water timers are another option. You can program them to start and stop at certain times every day. The Good Housekeeping Institute tested the newest water-saving innovations and found a few that hit the mark. The Melnor AquaSentry with AquaTimer for $60 checks soil moisture before watering the lawn to see if water is needed.

"It has a wireless moisture sensor. So you just take the sensor, mount it into your lawn, and it monitors how wet the grass is, so if there's enough moisture in it, it doesn’t let the sprinkler go on," said Genovese. The hose connects right to your spigot.

Can’t get to the spigot? Good Housekeeping recommends the Remote Rain for $40 from L.R. Nelson. "You don't actually have to go outside to turn the water on and off. You can control it with a remote control, and it works up to 100 feet away from the spigot," said Genovese.

And Good Housekeeping says the Orbit Yard Watering System for $50 is a good alternative to pricey in-ground sprinkler systems. It can control up to four hoses for zoned irrigation.

A final note: Did you know that for every half hour your hose runs, you’re using 240 to 300 gallons of water? That’s enough for almost two weeks’ worth of showers. To learn more, check out the July issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.