Right as RainSmart steps to water-conserving landscapes.

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Just as important to a landscape design is controlling stormwater runoff, which can take with it excess chemicals and sediment.

A low-tech way to direct rainwater back into the soil instead of out onto the street and into storm drains is to hardscape with permeable materials. Unlike blacktop, these materials let water percolate down through joints between or through pores in them. Likewise, plantable pavers are designed with openings through which the landscaper can plant grass.

Regardless of method, Miller says builders are in the best position to change the water-wasting habits of their home buyers. "We can have a major, positive influence," he notes. "It's not too late to change."

This article originally appeared in EcoHome magazine.

HydroPoint

HydroPoint. The WeatherTRAK evapotranspiration controller automatically adjusts irrigation schedules based on landscape needs and local weather conditions. WeatherTRAK eliminates landscape overwatering and saves four times more water than any other technology, the maker claims. The device draws on information delivered wirelessly from 27,000 weather stations to automatically schedule irrigation based on the outdoor temperature, how much it has rained, and how much water each plant needs. 800-362-8774. www.weathertrak.com.

Pine Hall Brick

Pine Hall Brick. The manufacturer's permeable brick pavers enable storm water to filter into the soil instead of draining into streams and rivers, and satisfy state and local stormwater management requirements, the maker says. The company says its pavers are easier to install than some because there are only slight variations in size. The clay brick pavers are the same color throughout, so they never fade, the firm says, and once in place, they will last more than a century. 800-334-8689. www.pinehallbrick.com.

Clivus Multrum

Clivus Multrum. The Clivus Greywater System includes a Greywater Dosing Basin as the collection point for all of a home's greywater. Made of rigid plastic, it contains level switches and an effluent pump or gravity siphon (where sufficient slope is available). When an amount of greywater sufficient to create a 11/2-inch flooding dose within the irrigation chamber has collected in the dosing basin, the pump (or gravity siphon) engages. Because the irrigation chamber is flooded throughout its length, water and nutrients are carried evenly to surrounding plants. 800-425-4887. www.clivusmultrum.com.

Soil Retention

Soil Retention. Drivable Grass consists of tilelike, 2-foot-by-2-foot concrete squares connected into a mat by a grid system. Landscapers can plant grass through lattice-style holes and cracks that let roots penetrate through the mat into the soil, anchoring it firmly into place, the manufacturer says. The mat's porous nature enables moisture to filter into the underlying soil, reducing runoff while allowing water to be absorbed on site. 800-346-7995. www.soilretention.com.

Rain Bird

Rain Bird. The Gardener's Drip Kit includes all the connections, tubing, emitters, and tools necessary to install the drip irrigation system to an outdoor faucet or an underground irrigation system. The drip places water directly on the soil above the plants' roots, letting the water soak down to the roots-- reducing runoff and eliminating water waste, the company says. The kit is a reengineered version of the company's professional-grade drip components, so it is easier to install, the firm says. 800-724-6247. www.rainbird.com.