Knowing your irrigation system's flow rate is essential before selecting sprinklers, sizing pipes, or programming run times. The bucket test is the most reliable DIY method — all you need is a bucket and this page.

01 — Select Bucket Size

CUSTOM:

02 — Stopwatch

00:00

READY

03 — Flow Rate Results

Output mode:

Litres / Minute —L/min

Litres / Hour —L/hr

— imperial —

Gallons / Minute —Imp gal/min

Gallons / Hour —Imp gal/hr

— test info —

Time Elapsed —sec

Bucket Volume —L

Stop the timer to see flow rate results

◈ Formula Used

Flow rate (L/min) = [Volume (L)] ÷ [Time (sec)] × 60 × 0.8

The × 60 converts seconds to minutes. In ×0.8 irrigation mode a 20% reduction is applied to account for pressure drop across your system — the tap is typically at higher pressure than the irrigation zone. If you tested directly at operating pressure, or just want the raw tap flow, switch to full flow mode above. Imperial gallons are used (1 Imp gal = 4.54609 L).

01 Pick your time of day — water pressure fluctuates throughout the day. Run the test at the same time you plan to irrigate so the result reflects real-world conditions.

02 Turn off everything else — make sure no taps, toilets, or other zones are running on the property. Any parallel draw will skew the result.

03 Turn the tap on fully first — let the water run freely before placing the bucket underneath. You want to capture mid-stream flow, not the initial surge.

04 Slide the bucket in and hit Start — time how long it takes to fill to your chosen volume. Stop the timer the moment it reaches that mark.

05 Read your result above — L/min is the most useful figure for irrigation planning. Use it to calculate zone run times or check how many sprinkler heads your system can support simultaneously.

TIP — For a more accurate reading, run the test two or three times and average the results. Variations of more than 10% between runs may indicate pressure inconsistency at the meter.