May 5th

By Mutt Mulligan

Smart Controllers Help You Water More Wisely

It’s only Spring, but it won’t be long before dry conditions hit many parts of the country.  Water wisely means using technology to plan when and how to water in a way that puts water right where it’s needed and watering at the right time for the right amount of time.  According to the California Landscape Contractors Association, smart controllers, also known as weather based controllers, are one of the many valuable water saving technologies available to help make landscape water usage more efficient. These devices are irrigation clocks that adjust the amount of water applied to a landscape in response to environmental changes. Using sensors and/or weather information, these controllers adjust your irrigation system automatically in response to rain, wind or temperature changes.  Smart controllers can help reduce landscape water usage and in some cases can offer dramatic savings. They can also help you maintain a more healthy landscape. 

Some tips if you are interested in this tool:

Program it Correctly. In order to maximize and maintain water efficiency, the smart controller needs to be programmed correctly. 

Monitor Your Site. Site conditions must be monitored, especially the first few weeks after installing your controller to fine tune and adjust your controller settings. 

Regular Maintenance of Current Irrigation System.  It is important to regularly inspect your irrigation system and repair leaks and/or other problems. Since these controllers consistently adjust your watering, if there is a leak or other problem with the irrigation system, even if programmed correctly, your landscape may not receive the correct amount of water that it needs.

Installing New Landscape.  If new landscape is being installed, group plants into similar areas based on water needs.  These areas, called hydrozones will help your plants receive the proper amount of water to meet their needs and help to maximize the efficiency of your controller because all the plants have the same water usage requirements. 

Smart controllers are an excellent tool to help reduce landscape water usage.  When used and programmed properly, a smart controller can help you achieve substantial water savings. 

For additional water saving information, please go to: http://www.clca.org/clca/about/consumer/drought/index.php